Broken Souls
by AllenPoe'sbiggestfan
Summary: Several months after Pitch's defeat, Jack is feeling estranged. After the joy of being believed in fades with the coming summer in Burgess, Jack escapes to a colder place to find his peace of mind. An eventual Blackice fic I'm working my way through, I hope you enjoy! I appreciate reviews
1. Chapter 1

Spring flowers have always meant new life for those who have hope, but for new life to begin, old life must end. The coming of spring always told Jack it was time for his winter fun to die, to give way to the new fresh state of life that spelled out his demise for another year. Gray clouds that brought snow have been replaced with sunny blue skies, the icicles that adorned rooftops and frost that laced windows are now rain puddles, floral arrangements and Easter eggs, and frozen ponds used for ice-skating and winter sports are now being used for swimming, picnics, and the occasional religious meeting.

The thing Jack hated most about this time of year in Burgess was watching all his work fade away into nothingness. It wasn't as if he put great detail into making each individual snowflake, but he put his heart into everything he did for the children there. He loved it when the children of his town had fun and played in the snow to their little hearts' content. But with all the emotions he put into making these and other kids across the globe happy with the spirit of winter, the gut-wrenching feeling was doubled back on him when his time came to an end. The children always left him in the dust right during Easter, and Jack was forgotten about until late Fall when the weather cooled. It ripped a hole in his heart with each passing year when he was left behind. Jack knew the kids wouldn't ever be depressed about the passing snowfall, because it meant they could go outside and be free to frolic without eight layers of clothing. He hated this time of year most of all.

Jack pulled up his hoodie and turned westward. The building he was standing on was the highest in Burgess, giving him a very good viewpoint of his disintegrating season. He sighed, not wanting to sit in his depression, and called out.

"Hey wind! Take me somewhere I'm needed!" The last chilly gust of the season picked up rapidly in Jacks face, carrying him east, away from the melting town.

The harsh gust blew his hood back, but Jack ignored it, coasting on the cool air. He flew as high as the wind would let him go, and passed over his home town with ease. He looked away from the ground, trying not to glance at the parents setting up Easter decorations and preparing for the annual egg hunt. It just hurt too much to look at. Jack instead looked out on the horizon, towards the ocean he was rapidly headed towards.

Jack suddenly let out a loud whoop when the wind jerked the boy up even higher. He found such delight in the wind, it never really had a strict agenda to where it went, a general direction was all it needed. The wind didn't care what route it took to get there, however many twists and turns and dips and climbs it felt it needed, the wind would just find a way to get there. Jack felt that's why he was so attached to it, it wasn't just a way for him to get around easily, the two of them were kindred free spirits.

He continued to glide along with the wind, not really knowing where it was taking him specifically. On the other side of the world from his home, peoples of all different languages and customs would be waking up to a chilly day, the start of a winter in their area of the globe. Jack didn't much care about the details, he just knew that it if it wasn't winter where he was, it was winter somewhere else. Jack paused in his thought as a new one began to form; the wind wouldn't take him to Australia would it? Isn't that where the rabbit kangaroo guy lived? Bunnymund? After Jack's blizzard of '68, and with Easter coming up soon, Jack didn't really feel like crossing paths with the frantic animal, even if it was to freeze over another one of his hunts again.

The wind calmed Jack's concerns when it took him higher up than before, to an even colder section of the sky, and showed no signs of dropping him off at the aforementioned continent. Jack felt comfort in the cold, as he always did, and allowed himself to relax for the rest of the journey. Curling up against his staff, Jack stabilized himself so the wind wouldn't knock him around too much and closed his eyes. It wasn't often he slept, but it was always interesting when he did. The dreams he had were always somewhat the same. Always about a boy who looked like Jack, but with brown hair and brown eyes instead of the white and blue combination he now possessed. The boy was funny, always goofing around. Whether he was climbing on trees, entertaining the people around him or pulling pranks on the other younger children, this boy was always in a good mood. Jack never knew why he dreamed about him, maybe Jack knew him from somewhere as an early memory and identified with him at some point early in his time as a winter spirit, but Jack usually brushed off the notion as a ridiculous memory.

Landing in a place coated in white, Jack was more excited than ever to be back in the snow. The wind had dropped him off somewhere in the middle of Russia, the portion sitting in the Arctic Circle. Aside from Burgess, northern Russia was his favorite place to be. It was always snowing, it was always winter, a constant state of cold just blanketed everything there. Jack had pushed the Easter depression out of his mind, a huge smile stretched across his face as he ran through the snow, happy to have the freezing ground underneath his feet again.

The winter spirit took to the skies again, hoping to find a village or two, because every place with people had children. The pockets of inhabitants were far and few between in this part of the country, and Jack's smile didn't fade one bit as he noticed a small cluster of houses on the edge of a thick forest. It wasn't huge, maybe holding no more than a few hundred people. But Jack was happy regardless.

He started making a light snow fall on the village, although the ground had no less than a foot of snow as it was, and waited patiently for adults and children alike to come outside. Gray patchy clouds above began to form a giant overcast. It partially blocked out the sun, but not so much to make it dark. The snow began to fall from the skies, falling weightlessly on Jack's shoulders and hair. Jack sat crouched on a roof, looking out upon the town.

As soon as a feeling of happiness began to wash over him, it just as soon vanished. Tendrils of pain now tugged at his heart. It was cold here and the snow was delightful, but jack couldn't help but feel…out of place. The snow and ice and cold were Jack's home, but he felt so…misplaced and far away from where he belonged. He missed the kids who believed in him. He missed the hugs when he brought snow days. He missed their exalted cries of joy at his work. He missed his home. And it hasn't even been a week since he left. The kids here didn't believe, they had never even heard of Jack Frost before. He couldn't pick up much of the Russian language, but from what North has told him, the only part of the world where he was known as Jack Frost was the United States and small various pockets of the world. He had asked North what else he was known as and the answer he did not like. Old man Winter? Really? He was the farthest thing from an elderly man.

Jack sighed and pulled the hood over his head. The kids here would never recognize him, and even if a few did, he couldn't talk to them. Their languages were too far apart. The tendrils of loneliness continued creeping up on him, wrapping around his legs and snaking up his shirt, past his chest and into his heart. It dragged him down making him feel ten times heavier and lose his focus on what was going on around him in the village below.

The children all came pouring out of a single large building, the schoolhouse most likely, and marveled at the falling snow. Jack half-smiled at the children's excited faces, even if he could hardly see their tiny heads over the piles of snow they were walking through. They all looked so young. None of them could've been over the age of ten.

There was a slight clearing of the snow in front of each door of each building so the inhabitants could get out without slipping. The small children in the schoolhouse were too busy being excited over the falling snow they didn't notice the largest one creeping up from the back. This one child in particular was shoving all the other children smaller than him out of the way so he could get out. The tall kid with a chubby face that wasn't really fat was pushing other kids off balance; one even fell over so he could get past. The slim teacher guiding the kids out the door hadn't noticed until the chubby kid pushed another to the floor. Jack watched half amused as the small round child was grabbed by the ear and pulled started to pull him back inside while the teacher shook a slim finger at him and scolded him in a raised tone. She didn't quite get the chance however, when Jack seized the opportunity for some entertainment. He swooped down and touched his staff to the ground right in front of the chubby bully. The kid obviously didn't see Jack, but he did feel the ice suddenly underneath his feet. He lost his footing and fell to the ground with a large "oof." The other children stared at him wide eyed and laughed while the fallen kid's face turned pink with embarrassment. The teacher helped him up and continued her scolding as the door shut.

Feeling accomplished, Jack ignored the lonely feelings that had built up inside and instead pushed them away as the children began to run around in the snow. He flew alongside them and conjured snowballs. It didn't take long for all the kids to start a snowball fight against one another, and Jack joined in. It was times like these that made him forget about his loneliness. The best times in the world.

Jack sat perched on his staff as the large group snowball fight gave way to exhaustion. All of the excited children more or less walked home after the two hour long session of snowball fights, fort building, snow angels and snowmen making. Jack watched all of them get home safely, making sure none of them collapsed. Even he was tired, all the running around and throwing things had worn him out.

Jack shifted his weight backwards and fell into the snow, lying lightly on top of it, not making a single indentation.H8s staff fell perfectly beside him, easily within arm's reach. He looked up into the clouds, thinking about the joy he just brought that group of kids. They were so happy for the falling snow, even though they're most likely surrounded by it all year. They were so happy to play in it, be part of something fun. But now they were headed back to someplace warm, back to the loving arms of parents and family members.

Jack had come to accept that his fun would only last temporarily. The thing that he could never seem to get over was how easily he was forgotten and left behind. He had a brief memory recollection of when he had Jamie on the sled, riding through traffic and giving Jamie the best sled ride of his life. But then the couch hit him, and jack was forgotten about and replaced for the Tooth Fairy. Jamie was so excited over his lost tooth that he completely forgot about the sled ride and focused solely on the Tooth Fairy. Jack would love bringing everyone joy till the day he died, but it was always the children's tiny attention spans that got on his nerves. They flitted from one thing to the next at the drop of a pin, but Jack couldn't really blame them. They were just kids after all.

Jack stopped the trail of thought before it would inevitably lead to another depression spell and instead closed his eyes and lazily held his staff in his left hand. His right arm had fallen above his head when he fell back, so Jack just kept it there. The relaxing quiet began to overtake Jack's senses, almost lulling him into sleep. He was partially asleep when the sun's dim rays were blocked out by something above him. Excepting it to be a passing civilian, Jack quickly rolled over to the side to avoid the painful experience of being phased through, and once he was sure the person had passed, he rolled back over to his original spot. It was still black.

Jack slowly opened his eyes, gripping his staff tight in his left hand. Pitch was standing directly above him, hands clasped and the smallest smirk smeared across his face.

Pitch said flatly, "Hello Jack."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello Jack."

The guardian jumped up from his laying position in the snow, his staff held tightly in both hands now. Pitch stared at Jack as he scrambled to his feet.

"Pitch! What're you doing here?"

Pitch had a dark sense of purpose around him, like hunting down Jack wasn't his only reason for being there. The last time Pitch had been around Jack, he had already possessed the terrifying demeanor going along with being the King of Nightmares. But this time was different. His resolve was much darker than nightmares this time. Jack felt the air shift around them, and Pitch took in a slow deep breath.

"Don't worry boy, I'm not here for you, it is simply dreadful coincidence that our paths crossed. I'm here for something much more satisfying than hunting you down." Pitch turned away from Jack, striding to a nearby house and fading easily into the shadows of the creaking wood. The house itself was tiny and breaking down, the whole structure leaned to one side. The wood was partially rotted, the solitary window hanging on a single hinge.

Jack followed Pitch in quick pursuit, jumping through the window of the house. The house couldn't have been occupied by more than two bedrooms, and it had no light fixtures to be seen. The only light came in from the moon through foggy window pane. Pitch stood inside, still standing in the same professional position when he left Jack. He stood at the foot of a bed in the middle of the room that was pushed against the far left wall. Pitch's face was stoic and unfeeling as he fixed his gaze on a young woman hunched over the bed. Her head was resting in the crook of her folded arms which were resting on the bed. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and her muffled cries could be heard breaking the silence in the room. The girl's dark hair cascaded down her back, but also covered her face. She wore a pair of tattered pants and a long sleeved shirt that was worn down and starting to get small holes in it. It wasn't nearly enough to keep her warm in the winter. Jack looked from Pitch back to the girl, confused and angry for being led to this place for no reason.

Jack felt he should just attack Pitch now and get him to leave this poor girl alone, but making a ruckus in the small broken house wouldn't help her situation. Besides, he could hardly face Pitch on his own.

Pitch took note of Jack's confused expression and gestured with his hand to come where he was standing. Cautiously, Jack walked over. His eyes widened at the sight of a small girl in the bed. She was bundled up in several layers of bedding material, but Jack could still see her shaking. Her skin was as pale as Jack's, save for her cheeks flushed a bright red. She rested on the bed, seemingly peacefully until closer inspection. Jack leaned in, ignoring Pitch's cold smirk as he did so. The girl had a sweat running down her face, and her brows furrowed and face distressed in restless sleep. Jack put the puzzle together in his mind. Anger boiled up inside him.

He quickly jumped away from Pitch and the two girls, aiming his staff at Pitch's chest. Pitch remained unaffected, not even giving Jack a second glance as Jack shouted, "What have you done to her?!"

Pitch never broke his perfect posture or unwavering gaze upon the child. "I have done nothing. You know you and your precious Guardians put me into my place. You may have weakened me so I will never rise to that level of power again, but," Pitch's gaze shifted from the girl to sharply turn on Jack. "I will never be truly gone." Pitch's gaze shifted back to the bed frame as the girl coughed and rolled to her side.

"This small girl is deathly afraid of dying, of leaving her sister alone here, someone else's fear originally brought me here, but the more I watched these two suffer, the more interested I became. I find it particularly enticing when such a small mind can comprehend such a large concept like death. Theirs is a tragic story, really. It all had to do with your lovely snow."

Pitch turned his body to Jack. He slowly walked towards the guardian, the smirk on his face growing wider and more sinister with each step. "These girls are sisters. They had a loving and caring family. It was disgusting. Living up here, though, in the shadow of a mountain, danger was always persistent. Their parents were killed in an avalanche not even a year ago." Pitch began to circle Jack like a vulture, and a sense of dread overcame Jack. He did not want to hear what Pitch had to say next.

"Stop talking," Jack said quietly. His eyes were fixed on the floor, his mind trying to block out the stabbing words. Pitch had waltzed his way in a circle to end up behind Jack. His long dark fingers found their way around Jack's shoulders, and Pitch's smooth dark voice was right next to Jack's ear.

"Oh but this isn't even the good part. You know, after their parents died, the girls lost their house, and were forced to move into this tiny little shack. The cold was unbearable to them. Your…winter wonderland here has caused them so much pain, so much suffering in just a few short months. You took away their parents, and you're taking away their lives. You have completely ruined them."

Jack covered his ears and fell on the floor. "Shut up!" he shouted. Pitch moved around to stand in front of Jack, taking painfully slow steps towards the smaller boy.

Jack hardly noticed his only protective weapon had fallen out of his reach when he collapsed to the floor. He shook his head violently left to right but Pitch only moved in closer, backing Jack into a corner. Jack clawed at his own hair, hoping this was all just a bad dream. He couldn't have made these people suffer. He couldn't have torn this family apart. How could his great times be horrible to anyone? He didn't mean to mess up someone's life; he just wanted to have fun! How could this have happened?!

Pitch enjoyed watching Jack squirm on the floor, reveling in the sight of his greatest enemy realizing the horrible implications his powers left on the mortal world. Jack was completely under his spell, hanging onto his every word, reacting exactly the way he wanted him to. Pitch wanted every glorious second of this to last a lifetime. Jack's own misery only added to Pitch's satisfaction. Pitch soaked it in as the three entities around him only got more miserable. It wasn't enough though. He needed more fear. He decided Jack needed to hear the truth.

"This little girl is going to die from the combination of the flu, hypothermia, and pneumonia. And it's all. Because. Of you." Pitch turned back to Jack whose horrified stare remained locked on the small child. Her breathing was slowing and becoming more like short quick bursts. Jack was entirely helpless to do something to save her; his touch would only make things worse. Jack noticed Pitch slowly breathe in. He must be taking in all the negativity around the room, absorbing it. And Jack had been caught in Pitch's trap to scare him. Jack couldn't help but feel that all of what Pitch said was….true.

Pitch walked over to Jack, breaking his thoughts and causing him to scramble back into a corner of the room. Pitch stood motionless in front of Jack and locked his gaze with unfeeling eyes tinted gold.

"Why do you even try to bring happiness Jack? Because you're a Guardian? All you do is cause pain and suffering. Because of you, this young woman before us is now a bitter shell of her former self, her optimistic attitude replaced by fear. Nothing happy can come of you, Jack."

Jack suddenly looked up into Pitch's eyes. Pitch was wrong.

"I just had fun with all those children! I brought them the happiness they deserve!"

Jack began to stand up, looking for his staff. His confidence was returning at the mention of the wonderful few hours he had spent with the children.

"I had them laughing and playing and having fun! I cheered them up because this horrible kid was bullying them! I made them happy! Me!"

Pitch cocked his head to one side and gave Jack a disbelieving look. "Really Jack, you brought them happiness. Tell me, how long will they remember you, hm? How long will this insignificant snow day sit in their minds? How long will it take them for this day to be erased from their memories, the remembrance of your happy day to be blotted out by time? You mean nothing to them."

Jack's knees gave out and he hit the floor once more. Pitch was right, and he didn't even know it's what bothered Jack so much. Being forgotten wasn't a fear, Jack had accepted being forgotten as a horrible fact of his life, Pitch couldn't possibly have known. Jack felt exposed and vulnerable under Pitch's piercing stare, as if he was being stripped down, cut open and having all his thoughts, feelings and inner wants laid out on an operating table for the world to see. It only tore him apart more as Pitch crouched down to grab Jack's jaw and force his face inches away from his and spoke again.

"How long do you think you'll be believed in with your little gang of children before they in turn leave you behind for a normal life? A few years is the most time you have left with them Jack, if even that. Once they've grown up, the kids who so adamantly loved you will brush you off as a gust of wind, a chill in the air, a figment of their young sugar induced imaginations. Even if they tell their children of you, and you are seen once again, they soon will pass on to the state of adult hood, your legend becoming dimmer with each generation."

Pitch leaned in closer to Jack, passing his frozen terrified face to speak quietly in his ear.

"Your days are numbered, Jack, just like this little girl's."

Pitch slowly pulled away, leaving the petrified Jack in the corner. A laugh tugged at Pitch's lips, and slowly developed into a maniacal laughter that echoed around the small room. Pitch slipped away into the shadows underneath the girl's bed, disappearing into the darkness.

Jack was left sitting in the corner, unable to breathe, unable to move from his spot. Subconsciously, Jack's legs curled up into his chest and his arms wrapped around his knees, finally letting his head rest in the crook of his elbow. Every single word Pitch said lingered in his mind, infecting every corner like a slow but steady black sludge. Pitch's voice echoed emptily through Jack's mind and small dark tendrils of fear, doubt and self-hatred found their way into every crack, crevice, and place of light in Jack's mind. The tendrils wound around him like Pitch's bony fingers wound around his shoulders. Jack shivered. For the first time in his life, Jack felt…cold. Suspended in ice, frozen to the spot. If he moved, he'd shatter into a million pieces and scatter on the floor. If he took a single breath, he'd explode.

The thing was…Everything Pitch said made perfect sense. Every last word that slipped out of Pitch's mouth had been true. Whether he was saying it to manipulate Jack or not, Pitch was spot on. His words had entangled Jack in a web of confusion and hurt that left him unable to do anything but struggle against the ever tightening bonds. He had been stripped of his will to fight, his drive to continue bringing snow, his need to speak out against the evil that left him sitting on the floor. The darkness was threatening to consume Jack with every thought of being forgotten over time consuming his mind.

Jack wasn't just fooling himself either, he had seen it happen in the 300 years he'd been roaming the earth. Treasures forgotten, people left behind, Jack had seen the very worst in humanity, and he had no doubt that he would be once again left in the shadows. Alone and isolated until someone saw him. But then what? The vicious cycle would only continue.

A tear rolled down Jack's face, and his pent up frustration and loneliness had caught up to him. The tear making its way down Jack's face turned into another, and another. Jack was emotionally exhausted, he didn't have the energy to keep a strong face, and he was too spent to hide his feelings, too tired of the world to care what happened next. Tears fell openly down Jack's face now, soaking the sleeve of his hoodie that slowly turned into a growing into a patch of ice that ran the length of his sleeve. His tears were cold as they fell in small streams down his face, forming a thin sliver of ice that ran down Jack's cheeks. He had no reason to wipe them away.

Crying wasn't usually his way of dealing with things, but Jack sat there for several more hours letting his emotions spill over his face. He had nearly forgotten about the two other people in the room when the older girl on the floor suddenly stirred out of her position on the bed. She must've fallen asleep like that, watching over her younger sister. Jack suddenly felt inconsiderate realizing he had been crying for hours and didn't even give those two a second glance. The girl's sudden stir caused Jack to momentarily pause his emotions to watch the girl silently get up, check her sister's breathing and forehead, and walk into the other room. The younger girl was still shivering Jack could see, and her pile of things attempting to keep her warm must've been all the items in the house physically able to do so. Jack spotted three comforters, a jacket, multiple thin shirts, the sheet that always went with the bed, and the girl herself had coat on underneath the mess. Not five minutes later the older sibling walked back into the room with another blanket, and quietly began to tuck the sides around her sister. Jack noticed the small child was still sleeping, but it was different than earlier. Her face had paled more, if that was possible, and the light sheen of sweat had formed droplets and were slowly trailing down her face. Jack furrowed his brows in worry for the small girl.

Slowly standing up and ignoring the ache in his limbs, Jack made his way over to the small girl's bedside. He picked up his staff on his way, making sure Pitch hadn't left any kind of evil residue on it. After his quick inspection, he crept over to the foot of the young girl's bed. Jack didn't get too close though, he knew he couldn't without harming her any more than he already had.

Leaning on his staff, Jack stared at the girl, thinking about what Pitch said. The words never really left his mind in the first place, but a pit in Jack's stomach and a twisting pain in his heart told him she wouldn't last much longer. The young girl coughed in her sleep, turning nasty when something caught in her throat that refused to let go. She rolled over to her other side, not waking even when the bed shook violently with her coughing fit. A slight wave of panic pinched Jack's nerves, but he had no idea what to do. This girl could die in front of him at this very moment and he was completely and utterly helpless to stop it. He couldn't even call for help in this situation. It was as if he was just an innocent bystander watching a parade float crash down. Nothing could be done but just sit, watch, and wait.

The older girl rushed back into the room as her sister's coughing fit subsided. Jack watched the older girl fret over her sister and check her breathing again. He noticed that she carried a thin sheet with her. It must've been the only relatively protective thing against the cold that wasn't wrapped around the body of the little girl. Jack watched as the older girl wrapped herself up in the sheet and sat on the floor, back to the very same spot she left a few minutes ago. She shivered violently after sitting on the cold wood, but eventually calmed down. She curled up with her knees to her chest, arms tucked as warmly as possible inside the thin piece of fabric. Leaning her left side on the bed, the girl closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep. She shivered in her sleep, almost violently. Her whole body shook causing the loose ends of the blankets to vibrate. Jack looked at her sorrowfully, unable to do anything but watch as she slept through the chilling night.

Jack stood in the house for another few minutes, gazing at the slow rise and fall of her shoulders, the small puff of air visibly coming out of her mouth due to the cold. The two girls seemed so peaceful and untroubled, as if nothing was wrong. But he knew that right under the surface, they were in so much pain, so much suffering lay just under the surface of their pale chilled skin.

Jack didn't linger once Sandy's dream sand made its way in through the small crack in the window. He didn't notice it creep in at first, that sand was more silent than death itself. Jack turned at the sight of the gold, following the trail out the window and into the sky. He figured it was time to go.

Opening the window to allow passage out, Jack took one last glance at the two girls, knowing he would most likely never see them alive again. Their lives couldn't possibly continue with their standard of living. Such gorgeous youth had been cut so short. It was unfair how he could do nothing but take the time to memorize their sleeping forms. The very least he could do was keep their memory alive after they passed.

Jack landed soundlessly in the snow, and closed the window as best as he could behind him. Pulling his hoodie up was usually a subconscious mannerism Jack did when he was upset, but his hood was left untouched for the moment. He just felt heavy right now, arms and torso dead weight on his weak legs. He couldn't find the energy to move his hands after sitting in that room for several hours. The only thing keeping him from falling into the snow was his staff. It kept him rooted not only in his standing position but into reality, it kept his spirit from drifting away into the clouds till he was never heard from again. It was his single anchor to the world of children, keeping him from abandoning them like they abandon him.

It wasn't in his nature to get even with anyone who had wronged him, and he didn't see leaving the world as some sort of revenge plot. Yet Jack felt that letting go would be so much easier than trying to stay and bear the pain. He could just lift up into the skies, straight up past the clouds, into the atmosphere. If he tried hard enough he may reach space. The cold emptiness of an endless void seemed almost welcome to him in comparison to the crushing weight of depression he felt now. Jack didn't know much about what lay beyond the skies he flew, but the random tidbits he picked up from schools told him it was a huge, most likely endless, dark, and unbelievably cold place. Absolute zero was a confusing concept to Jack, but he understood it was much colder than any ice he could conjure up on earth. It seemed so nice to be surrounded by nothing. He wouldn't cause harm with his antics, he wouldn't kill any more people, he wouldn't cause the pain and suffering he does, wouldn't pose the treat he does now. And he'd be forgotten just as easily as if he stayed and tried to make children happy. He'd simply float in the vacuum until the end of time, if he lived that long. He wished the wind he traveled by could reach outside the atmosphere.

Jack looked up to Sandy's streams of sand slowly spreading like fingers all across the sky, the reflection against the white snow bathing the town in an eerie glow. The gold sand reached into every single home Jack could see, granting all the inhabitants inside an ensured goodnight's rest. It was fascinating that Sandy reached even these remote little villages in the middle of nowhere. He was always tending to the dreams of children, making sure that even children in places like this were comfortable and taken care of. Although he never spoke, Sandy always had a warming smile, and Jack remembered the Guardian was always apt to listen to anything he had to say.

The pair had met before Jack was a guardian, not even a month since Jack had been born from the lake actually. Jack was walking along a street in Burgess one night, realizing sleep wasn't necessary anymore. He had just become Jack Frost, although he didn't know it. For Jack, his only concerning thought was nobody would ever see him again; he'd be left invisible for the rest of eternity. That is, until Sandy noticed him staring at the cloud of swirling gold. Jack waved, and Sandy looked confused, but slowly waved back. Why was this boy up so late? Why was he waving? Humans Jack's age rarely saw Sanderson unless they had some sort of mental illness. Teenagers were far past the age of believing in fairy tales. Jack only confused Sandy more when he flew up several stories and landed on his cloud.

"Hiya!" Jack seemed so enthused. "You can see me? Right? You just waved!" The young spirit was so excited to be seen for the first time ever. Sandy nodded and noticed the thin layer of frost forming, disappearing and reforming on the shifting sand beneath Jack.

Jack's enthused smile never faltered, he was so happy to meet someone who could see him! "I'm Jack Frost! It's nice to meet you Mister…" Jack trailed off realizing he didn't even catch the silent man's name. Sandy smiled and formed a series of images above his head, depicting his basic job of guiding children's dreams into wonderful realizations.

"You're the sandman! That's so cool," Jack said with glee.

Ever since their first meeting, Jack always found Sandy when he needed someone to listen to him. For the longest time the Sandman was the only friend he knew, the only being in the entire world that could see and communicate with him. Sandy was the closest bond Jack had made in his life.

Jack flew along the trails of sand, high up into the sky. He was looking for the source of the sand. It took him above the clouds, far away from the village he had spent the better part of 24 hours in. He looked back on it with a hint of regret in his eyes, wondering if he should go back and try to make things right. Jack shook the notion out of his head, and told himself he'd only mess things up again, only be the cause of more pain to those who didn't deserve it.

Seeing a small speck in the distance, Jack flew at full speed towards the Sandman's cloud of gold. It was a tiny thing at first, but it gradually grew and took shape as Jack neared his oldest friend. Pieces of his bad feelings chipped away at the sight of Sandy, the pieces falling behind him into the night. Although he still felt heavy enough to sink through to the core of the earth, Jack had calmed down enough to plaster on a half-convincing smile before he got into Sandy's line of sight. He hoped the fake smile would last long enough to shabbily cover his emotions and help him feign happiness for at least a few endearing moments. Even if Sandy was a good listener, Jack didn't want to talk his ear off with his emotional problems. Sandy had millions of other kids to attend to, and Jack would only slow him down with his emotional distress.

Jack simply wanted the comfort of a good friend, and he found just that in Sandy.

Jack landed to the stout man's right without a word, and Sandy looked over to Jack and smiled. Jack sat down cross legged on Sandy's cloud, becoming eye level with the man. He looked out into the distance after acknowledging Sandy. He looked out to the sky around them, seeing nothing but clouds and the stars. A few patches between the clouds revealed just how high up Sandy was. Jack didn't really question why they were so high, but he liked to imagine that it was so Sandy could reach all the tiny clusters of towns and villages without moving around too much. Tiny clusters and pinpoints of light marked the towns that Sandy targeted as his next job, and quick trails of sand shot their way down into the night. It was fascinating to Jack to watch the process, there was never really a dull moment but at the same time, it was never too exciting.

A cold burst of wind hit Jack from the right side, making him feel slightly at home. Jack sighed as Sandy continued to wave his arms, telling his dream sand where to go in the similar fashion a conductor would order an orchestra for a soothing piece of music. As Sandy continued silently working, Jack looked up into the sky as the wind tousled his hair to the side.

The stars above them were bright and clear, standing out against the darkness of the night. The moon was behind the both of them, so the tiny lights shimmered and danced against the clear sky to their own content. They almost fooled Jack into having hope again, when he realized while their nature seemed inviting and fun, but they were much too far to reach from Jack's tiny little place on his planet. He could try all he wanted and Jack would never reach any of those distant pinpoints of light that taunted him so. They were all so happy, so carefree, why couldn't Jack be like that?

Jack's thoughts turned back to his previous notion of leaving and never coming back. He curled his knees against his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs once more, returning his head to his frost covered sleeve. Sandy hadn't said a single thing, he never does, but he noticed the change in Jack's demeanor. Jack didn't care anymore, Sandy could find out he was depressed. Or just ignore him like everyone else. Jack continued staring out into the distance when he felt Sandy tap his shoulder. Jack shifted his head to look at his friend, who had a question mark above his head and a concerned look on his face. Jack could feel nothing but sorrow reach from the confines of his heart into his expression, but he willed himself not to cry again. It was shameful enough to be so overwhelmed by emotions that he actually cried, but crying in front of a friend was unspeakable. He'd never live down his own personal embarrassment at the situation, no matter how understanding and tight-lipped the Sandman was. It was just too much to have all these things happening and then go and face the shame and sympathetic looks telling everyone around him they thought he was weak. Hopeless. Depressed.

Jack's dark thoughts had controlled his mind and he didn't realize he had closed his eyes and let a tear escape his clutches until he felt Sandy's hand brush it away. He opened his eyes half way to see a concerned Sandy looking at him with nothing but concern. It wasn't the pitying, sympathetic look Jack had expected, and Sandy didn't laugh or jeer at his expense. It left Jack feeling more comfortable around the Guardian, but not enough to let his emotions go just yet.

Jack still didn't want to talk, his emotions and feelings were hard for even him to grasp. He couldn't fathom trying to explain them to someone else. Jack shook his head and without a word Sandy wrapped a small arm around Jack's shoulder. Sandy nodded to Jack, understanding he wasn't quite ready to explain yet, and turned back to his neglected sand. Jack sat on the cloud for a while, going along with Sandy from place to place and sleeping child to sleeping child. Jack felt content. Not happy, still sad, but it wasn't crushing him down like the pressure on the bottom of the ocean. Sandy didn't make any sort of motion that he minded jack's presence, and so the two carried on, slowly going making their way around the world.

After several hours' worth of work, Jack felt like he needed to be free again. To fly around somewhere and collect the shattered pieces of his thoughts before any of the other Guardians contacted him for whatever reason. He didn't feel like any of them would, but they always seemed to get to him at the most inconvenient times. Sandy never got on his nerves. In fact the time spent with him was always relaxing, somewhat therapeutic.

Jack stood up and stretched out. He still felt depressed, and something weighed heavily on his mind. Jack turned to Sandy.

"Well, I'm out, I won't bother you anymore," Jack said followed by a dry laugh. Sandy grabbed Jack's wrist and a series of symbols appeared over his head. "Yes I'll be fine Sandy, I just…Need to figure some things out on my own. Thanks for letting me stay here."

Sandy responded with something along the lines of saying Jack could come back anytime he wanted, and he was always welcome. The sentiment made Jack feel wanted for once in his life. He waved to Sandy, and the gesture was returned as Jack rode the wind off into the darkness of the night. Something weighed down heavily on Jack's mind. He knew exactly who he was looking for, but the questions he would ask were not that clear to him yet. Jack flew along a vast expanse of ocean, high above the clouds. He wondered where the nefarious Pitch Black could possibly be at this time.

_Author's note: Terribly sorry for the crap ending, but it's late and I needed to get this out of my system before I started changing the entire thing again. In retrospect, this chapter may have been a bit boring...It'll get better, I promise! Please forgive me for any typos._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: Hey! Listen! I just wrote 15 pages of feels and a crappy battle scene! In all seriousness though, I'd like to ask that if you're following this story for whatever reason, I'd really appreciate some reviews, or feedback of any kind. My tumblr is on my account page, so you can message me there, or through PM here if you have some words for me to hear :3 Thanks once again for being patient and waiting guys, here's chapter 3!_

The ocean was vast. It seemed to go on forever. Jack flew over a dark void of water, hoping to find someplace with land. The water stretched on beneath Jack, wrapping around the globe and fading into one blurry dark line on the horizon. Jack had no idea where he was going, but he knew he would find Pitch eventually.

The moon sat low in the sky directly behind Jack, telling him the night was drawing to a close. The sun had not yet made itself known, but the taunting stars were beginning to fade. The dimmest and smallest ones were the only ones to leave so far, but their disappearance told Jack that the night and fear and shadows wouldn't last much longer until the brightness of the day made Pitch retreat to his inaccessible lair.

The ocean beneath Jack reflected the night sky above. Jack looked down at the blackness. Maybe instead of going into space he could fall into the water. It was just as dark. He'd be just as alone lying at the bottom of the ocean than floating in space. Nobody would hurt him, he wouldn't hurt anyone else. Jack slowed his speed and dropped down to suspend himself a few feet above the churning water. Waves rocked the ocean, causing his reflection on the water to distort and move around. The reflection of Jack's thin body mimicked his emotions. Swirling, twisting, unsure of where to go or what to do.

Jack dropped down, bending one knee and letting a single foot sink into to the water to test the temperature. It was much colder than he expected, and an icy chill ran up his spine at the sudden contact. The cold wasn't uncomfortable for the spirit born from ice, but it was still a surprise to find it so cold. Jack took his foot out of the water and hovered in the same spot. He looked around. He could drop down into the water, into the black abyss and never be seen again. But something pulled at Jack's conscious, telling him not to do it. It was probably his past life telling him not to go, the fear of drowning being too great. But...Jack wouldn't die, he couldn't. It was impossible for him to end his life by lack of oxygen - he didn't need to breathe in the first place. So what was it that frightened him so much about slipping beneath the waves to sit in the cold dark?

In the middle of his thoughts, Jack heard Pitch's laughter cut the silence. It was distant, but distinct.

"Pitch!" Jack shouted to the air around him. "Where are you? Show yourself you coward!" Jack had a few questions for the King of Nightmares, but he wasn't going to show his nervous state of mind. He wouldn't let the man paralyze him again. Jack had the resolve to stand up for himself.

"I'm the coward Jack? Who's the one trying to escape his problems by running away?" Pitch's voice got louder and surrounded Jack. He couldn't tell where Pitch was, the dark voice was coming in from all directions.

"You won't get to me this time!" Jack held his staff out and turned in several different directions, looking for Pitch, a nightmare, anything to give away his position so he could attack.

"I think I will Jack." Jack was too preoccupied with his immediate surroundings he failed to notice the shadows beneath his feet forming into the silhouette of his enemy. Two golden eyes surfaced, followed by the rest of Pitch's torso as he sprung from the water to grab at Jack's ankle. The cold hand wrapped around Jack and he hardly had time to let out a yelp before he was yanked under the churning waters.

Jack struggled against the iron-like grip dragging him down further into the ocean. Jack attempted to use his powers against Pitch's clutches, aiming his staff at the hand around his ankle. He tried to fire a burst of ice at his trapped foot.

Nothing happened.

At the loss of his only form of protection, Jack began to panic even more. For some reason he held his breath, innate human instinct injecting the fear of drowning into Jack's veins along with his exposed state. The panic of being pulled under made Jack's mind race as the moon slowly shrunk above him. Jack couldn't die, but it didn't stop his eyes from shutting and his heart from racing and his body going numb from all the fear surrounding him and it was just too much to handle and Pitch was dragging him down oh God this was the end of everything and Jack was going to die.

"Shh, calm down little boy, you're fine. You won't drown." Pitch's voice rang out in the deafening silence of the water. Jack felt his ears clogged and he knew logically he shouldn't be able to hear anything, but Pitch's voice was clear as if he was standing right in front of him. Jack opened his eyes and Pitch was behind him again. They were still both being dragged underwater, Jack being dragged by the hand of a shadow and Pitch being pulled effortlessly with him.

Pitch's hand pinned both of Jack's arms behind him, locking thin fingers around his wrists. Jack's staff was still gripped tightly in his hand, but it was completely useless. Jack couldn't conjure ice in the ocean, it would melt. He was helpless against Pitch. Jack turned his head to glare at him, still holding his breath.

Pitch chuckled darkly. "You're not human anymore Jack, you have no need for air. If you finally have the courage to say something to me, say it now. It'll be much more entertaining watching you try to fight before I crush your spirit."

Jack glared at Pitch again. Either he say nothing and they sink to the bottom of the ocean, or he fights and tries to get away before Pitch can do any more damage. Jack opened his mouth. Shock plays across his face when water didn't rush into his lungs and cause coughing fits.

"Let me go you bastard!" Jack struggled against Pitch's grip. Jack didn't want to admit it, but Pitch once again had told him the truth. He could have easily told Jack that he'd die if he stopped holding his breath, told him he'd drown at the bottom of the ocean if he didn't do what Pitch said.

"I'll never let you go Jack Frost. Your fear is so raw. It's delicious." Pitch's voice was by Jack's ear, the last statement hardly a whisper. Jack shivered at Pitch talking in his ear. He was too close for comfort, the hand holding his wrists and the one gripping his shoulder were too tight.

"Oh, did I not mention that," Pitch asked. "Your fears. They're raw, untamed. Your fear of being left alone, of being cast out, even the glimmer of being forgotten, they're all delectable. You have such a hidden darkness to you Jack, it's wonderfully terrible." A terrified shudder went down Jack's spine as he felt Pitch's hand trail from his shoulder down to his forearm and back up again. It was a sensual touch, one Jack thought he'd never feel from anyone, especially not his biggest enemy. It scared him, how Pitch dissected him so easily. He had tried his best not to be read like an open book, but Pitch opened him up and plucked at every exposed nerve as if playing a harp.

Jack felt Pitch shift behind him and the grip on his wrists and ankle loosen and eventually let go. Jack turned around as swiftly as he could under the water, the both of them suspended in the dark abyss. Nothing surrounded them. No creatures of the deep, no schools of fish, even the light from the moon had faded away. Jack couldn't see the bottom, he didn't know which way was up. Pitch just floated there, his arms crossed over his chest. His bright eyes were the only things that stood out against the blackness. If jack focused he could make out the contours of his face, but the rest of the man was lost. Pitch was still remarkably close to Jack, but he couldn't swim away. Pitch's nightmares could just drag him back. Besides, something about Pitch's intense yet uncaring stare made jack unable to pull away. Pitch's eyes were his only sense of direction at the moment, but the piercing gaze drew in his soul and refused to let go. Jack wasn't sure what Pitch could see, but his gaze didn't shift, didn't intrusively roam his body, it remained fixed directly onto Jack's eyes. Jack had completely forgotten was he was going to spit out at Pitch. His anger remained, but his mind was transfixed, as if Jack was in a trance. Pitch spoke for him.

"You still have that fear of being alone, Jack? How disappointing. You made such great friends in a matter of days; your little believers seemed to make you happy enough so you'd never feel isolated again. But…That doesn't seem to be the case here." Jack saw Pitch's eyes narrow in the darkness, a mixture of curiosity and dark humor thrown in.

Once again, Pitch had hit home. Jack found the will to break away from Pitch's gaze and look down into the ocean where he still couldn't make out a single shape. Every single analysis Pitch made was the truth, Jack couldn't deny it anymore. Jack had been putting it to the back of his mind since Pitch's last meeting with him, but the nagging feeling that he never truly connected with any one of the Guardians or the children had been gnawing at the back of his brain for months. Jack started when he felt Pitch's cold hand on the bottom of his jaw, lifting his face up. He was sure his eyes were filled with fear, something Pitch wouldn't be able to get enough of he was sure. Pitch was inches from Jack's face, making him recall the other conversation back in the cabin, all the feelings of claustrophobia and discomfort coming back to him full force.

Jack sighed. He was finally caving in to Pitch's constant battering down of his pride and sanity.

"You're right. You have been since I saw you last. The pain I cause others, the pain I cause myself, the distance I feel from my friends. It's all true."

A surprised look flitted across Pitch's eyes for such a brief moment that Jack thought he was seeing things. It quickly turned into an arrogant look, and Jack could practically see the smirk playing across Pitch's face as he tried to swim backwards. The attempt to release from Pitch's grip only brought the nightmare king with him, bring their faces closer.

"Of course I'm right, Jackie. You have no one…" Pitch trailed off mid-sentence, and his eyes flicked away in thought.

"What?" Jack gave him an inpatient look when Pitch didn't respond for several moments. The moments went by agonizingly slow as Jack slowly freed his face from Pitch's grip.

"Join me," the nightmare king finally spoke.

"Oh you've got to be kidding."

"Where else have you got to go Jack? Your guardians and your believers will only hurt you in the end. I will continue believing in you, until time itself stops. Don't tell me you haven't thought of your legend living on forever, even if it's in the heart and mind of a single person." Pitch was suddenly behind Jack, and Jack's cocky attitude melted away. His outbursts of courageousness didn't last long with Pitch around. "We've been through the same hell Jack. You can't tell me you've never thought of what it would be like to be alone for the rest of eternity."

Jack had given up resisting Pitch's darkness a long time ago. When one of Pitch's arms wrapped around Jack's middle in a half possessive, half sympathetic hold, and Jack melted into the form behind him. His head fell back to Pitch's shoulder as Pitch's free hand ran through Jack's weightless hair. The gesture wasn't a romantic one, but one of comfort and understanding. Pitch well understood how Jack felt and what he had been going through, yet he was still evil to the core. Jack tried to be a good person, and pairing up with Pitch seemed like a wrong move on so many levels. But floating there, being held by the one being who understood him, in the black silent ocean, Jack had finally felt somewhat comfortable for the first time in decades, even if his thoughts twisted and pulled in every direction. Looking down at the black arm around his waist, Jack spoke softly.

"Let me...Let me think about it."

Pitch's grip tightened around his waist and fingers briefly clenched into his hair, causing Jack to wince in pain. An immediate yes is what Pitch expected, and Jack gave him a "maybe." Pitch's possessive side had appeared once more, the same one that appeared when he recruited Jack the first time. Jack squirmed against the painful grip, becoming afraid Pitch would kill him before either of them resurfaced. After the brief moment of constriction, Pitch's grip on Jack's body began to loosen and eventually disappeared, but Jack could still feel Pitch behind him.

Pitch answered with a distant and flat, "Fine."

Jack didn't move as he felt Pitch slowly fade away from him into the darkness behind him. "Don't keep me waiting." Pitch's presence behind Jack completely disappeared, leaving Jack alone in the middle of the ocean.

While that whole thing happened, Jack had momentarily forgotten that he was underwater. Pitch had distracted him from his fear...How odd. Feeling a slight push on the bottom of his feet, Jack realized a shadow was pushing him towards the surface. How considerate of Pitch not to leave him there with no direction. That was odd as well.

Jack kicked and pushed his arms past expanses of water until his head finally broke the surface once more. He breathed a sigh of relief, happy to get air back in his lungs once more. Jack looked around and shielded his eyes to the rising sun. It was just starting to peek over the horizon, and bright enough to make Jack's eyes burn. Pitch and Jack must've spent more time down there than he realized.

His staff in his hand, Jack burst out of the water and was instantly picked up by the wind. It carried him fast and far away, drying off the boy before his clothes froze over from the frost his body naturally created. Jack was relieved to have his control over winter back, blasting icicles everywhere and making bursts of cold air and snow skip and land among the ocean. The wind carried him farther and farther away from the spot he was pulled under, but Jack couldn't keep away the memories. As creepy and nerve wracking as Pitch was, he seemed to really want Jack around. Why else would he chase after him all the time? Jack shook his head in dismissal of the thought. Pitch was the Nightmare King, he couldn't possibly want company. He has the fears of children, teenagers, and adults to keep him satiated.

After several more hours of flying West, Jack eventually landed on the coast of Russia once more. The Easter decorations here made him feel slightly woozy, but touching down onto to dry land was all he wanted. The ground was cool underneath his feet, small tendrils of ice under his footprints quickly melted in the warm sand as he walked up the coastline towards the mainland. Jack made it up to the street, looking around and becoming more nauseated at the Easter decorations. It wasn't as if he didn't like Bunnymund or anything, but all the pastels and bright colors made Jack miss the mostly monochrome arrangement of snow.

Having the wind take him up again, Jack headed north, towards colder regions. The wind could tell he didn't want to go back to the village he had visited. He just wanted to be alone for the time being. Jack needed time to think about the past few days, to weigh Pitch's offer in his mind. The wind carried him far past the happy glittering towns of Russia and into a colder bleaker area that was still in the dead of winter. Jack flew past the towns that lay on the coastline and landed in the middle of a dense forest. The wind dropped him off on a high branch of a tree and Jack found his balance as the frost on his feet covered the branch.

He walked along the tree limb, looking down at the snow covered ground about four stories below him. Jack maneuvered his way down with graceful jumps and slides till he found a branch closer to the ground. The forest grew up past him, completely covering the winter spirit from the sky above. The branch Jack now stood on pointed slightly up, allowing perfect purchase for him to sit comfortably. He was still a good twenty feet above the ground, but the tall trees covered his form as he sat down, his back against the trunk. Jack pulled up his hood and stretched out one long leg along the branch, letting the other dangle off the edge. The branch curled with delicate patterns of frost under his leg, the area of the tree around and behind Jack being covered in ice. Jack swung his staff around and rested it in his lap, and finally let his head fall back to rest against the tree, creating a bolder pattern of frost.

Jack closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander freely. If Pitch was being serious about joining forces, he'd finally have someone who understood his pain. On the other hand, Jack didn't want to cause nightmares and pain to children. Being with Pitch one hundred percent of the time meant he'd be allying against the guardians to bring fear into the world, and Jack didn't want to hurt anyone. However hollow the children's happiness made him feel for being unseen and unappreciated, Jack could never find it in him to be cruel to them. A snowball to the face was fine and all in good fun, it's usually what started the best snowball fights; and a slight scare to make the kids jump up then laugh was great, but terrifying them and giving them nightmares? Jack would never live with himself if he purposely caused a child harm. Jack turned his thoughts back to the ocean. The way Pitch talked was sincere. The man was evil, but he wasn't lying when he said he understood Jack and what he was going through. He would understand why Jack was depressed, have so much more insight to his sensitivities than any of the guardians could even imagine. Jack sighed and thought about if he did join Pitch. His tension would melt, but he'd be betraying all the Guardians stood for. The tug at Jack's heart to be understood pulled heavily against his will to be with the Guardians. The children's happiness was most important to him, but if he continued in the miserable state he did, how much longer would their happiness last until he was consumed by depression and no longer possess the will to bring them joy anyway?

Jack sighed, the events of the days had worn him out. He hadn't slept when he was with Sandy, only stared off into the distance with a blank mind. Jack's breathing began to even out as he became more relaxed, and finally sleep consumed him as the sun made its way above the horizon, bringing a new day with it.

Jack awoke feeling the curl of a shadow around his wrist. His eyes snapped open, giving Jack enough time to react to the shadow forcefully pulling him down from the tree. The shadow yanked hard on Jack's leg, sending him down from the branch back first and upside-down. The distance between him and the ground gave Jack enough time to twist his body around so he would land on his feet in a more or less graceful manner. Before Jack had time to look up and view his surroundings, Pitch was upon him, pushing him to the ground and pinning him there. On the ground, Jack looked up to see that it was night time again. Wow, he had slept that long; all day? What if Jamie—

Jack stopped his thoughts. Jamie had moved on from Jack until next year when the snow fell. Jamie had forgotten all about him, along with the other kids. Jamie had moved on to Easter.

Jack sighed as the nightmare shadows wrapped around his left wrist, Pitch grabbing the right and swatting the staff away. Pitch had Jack's legs pinned beneath his own, making Jack immobile and helpless once again. Although he wouldn't fight Pitch if he could, Jack had given up that prospect. Pitch's face frightened Jack when he finally stared up at him. He was uncomfortably close again, the only other thing in Jack's sight was the thin layer snow around him and the bottom of the evergreen forest, the rest was filled up by Pitch's gray face.

"I told you not to keep me waiting Frost." Pitch's free hand gripped jack's jaw again, holding tight not allowing Jack any freedom of movement. His nails dug into Jack's skin, sure to leave red marks later if they didn't pierce through the skin. Jack gasped in pain.

"It hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours yet…" The fingers dug deeper into his skin as Pitch growled above him. The low rumble caused Jack's heart to spike, mostly with fear that Pitch would hurt him.

"I'm an impatient man. Give me an answer!"

"I don't have one yet," Jack gasped again as Pitch became more enraged, digging his nails deeper, most of them cutting open Jack's skin this time. Angry red lines fell down Jack's neck, and he involuntarily whimpered softly at the pain. Pitch's eyes were trained on Jack's demanding an explanation to his lack of an answer.

"I can't just get up and leave the kids behind! They'd be lost in the snow without me. No matter how many times they forget me, those kids are happy I'm there for them every winter! You're right, it tears me up inside when they abandon me, but no matter how much harm they cause me I could never leave them or cause them pain like you do!" Jack struggled against Pitch's weight on his legs, trying to throw the man off of him before Pitch completely severed his head with his nails.

To Jack's surprise, Pitch's gaze didn't harden; it went the complete opposite direction. The fire burning inside Pitch's eyes was set down to the low simmer they usually remained at. His face went from a snarl to his calm expression, and the grip on Jack's jaw tightened to its original hold.

"I believe you misunderstood me when I made my offer. I wasn't asking you to do my job for or with me. That'd be an insult to the name of fear itself. You'd do so terribly at scaring children that they'd probably start leaving presents for me under the tree at Christmas and looking for little gifts from me whenever they lose a tooth." Pitch smirked down at Jack. "No Jack, I simply wanted you to join forces with me. Abandon those pitiful friends you call Guardians. You can continue to make your little fun and games, make it snow as you please and whatnot, I'm just asking you to switch sides."

Jack felt an immense feeling of stupidity wash over him. Of course Pitch would want to remain supreme over the kingdom of nightmares. How could Jack have thought Pitch would need help when he had been doing it for hundreds if not thousands of years? Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He could still make the children happy, and be with someone who understood him. Despite Pitch's grip, Jack smiled for the first time in months. He had finally found someone who wanted him around! Not just when he was convenient, or when he was needed to make it snow, or needed to solve a problem. He had someone who wouldn't push him away when he wasn't useful, who wouldn't leave him with each passing season, someone who would keep believing in him.

Jack's face lit up as his smile widened. Pitch looked very confused at the sudden change in Jack's tone of expression. After Jack calmed down a little, his face returning neutral, he spoke.

"If that's the case," Jack said, "I'll definitely join you."

Pitch's face contorted into disbelief, then anger, then thoughtfulness, then finally resolve. Pitch shifted his weight and was about to get off Jack when something blurry and green slammed into his side and threw him ten feet away from Jack. The shadow slipped off of Jack's wrist, allowing him to get up, hurriedly grab his staff and turn to Pitch.

"What the-" Pitch's statement was cut short as he was slammed into the snow by the green blur again. It was Tooth.

"Jack is okay guys! Full force on Pitch!" Tooth shouted out into the sky and the remaining guardians flew in behind Jack headed straight for Pitch. The fallen Pitch had just barely gotten to his feet when the Guardians were attacking him again. Pitch slunk into the shadows of the night, reappearing behind North and Bunny with his scythe in one hand. He swung at the two of them with all he could and Jack watched as they effortlessly jumped over the blade, Bunny throwing Easter egg bombs down at Pitch. They exploded in an arrangement of pastels upon the snow, but the darkness provided cover for Pitch as he sunk into the shadows once again. A long shadow of Pitch's silhouette stretched beneath the expanse of snow, and his voice echoed against the trees.

"You dare challenge me while I'm in my very element? Come now Guardians, you're beginning to get disappointing! I expected so much better of you!" His voice slipped away into the darkness of the night and was replaced by his maniacal laughter. It too died away as the Guardians stopped their movement to examine the forest around them for Pitch. Jack had done nothing but stand there. Pitch reappeared silent behind Tooth, scythe bared again and swung at her.

"Tooth look out!" Bunnymund shouted, reaching an arm out to Tooth. Pitch's face grew dark and menacing as his scythe swung down lethally upon Tooth. She flitted away at the last second. Pitch had only cut off the end section of her tail feathers. She looked down at them in shock, her face turning to rage pointed directly at Pitch.

Tooth rushed in at Pitch with full speed, becoming a blur in the air. Pitch spun him and his weapon around and hooked Tooth on the inside of his scythe, taking to centrifugal force to pin her down against the blade and throw her directly in the path of the other two Guardians. Tooth hit Bunnymund head on, the collision causing them to fall several feet back. Tooth had been cut open by the blade, her blood spattering the snow as she arced through the air.

North took the time to help the two if them disentangle and dress Tooth's wound. Jack turned to his enemy and noticed Pitch staring at him. Confusion and anger marked Pitch's face, and Jack just stared wide eyed. Before Jack could get a word out, a golden sand whip grabbed Pitch by the ankle. It threw him up into the air, causing him to lose hold of his scythe, fly up into the air and be slammed back into the ground.

Sandy's face showed bold determination, a look determined to bring Pitch down. Jack's eyes widened further as Pitch was pinned to the ground by dream sand, unable to move. Any shadows he could've slipped into were taken away as Sandy's dream sand floated underneath Pitch. Uncertainty and fear flitted across Pitch's eyes, as they met with Jack's again. The look was of genuine terror that the guardians would hurt him far beyond repair. The look Pitch gave Jack the strength to finally push his body enough to move to Pitch, just as the Guardians closed in.

Jack couldn't find his voice. But the guardians were going to really hurt Pitch this time and Jack just couldn't deal with it why were they doing this to Pitch he hadn't done anything to deserve this! Jack felt the words he wanted to say caught in his throat as he sprinted over to where Pitch was being circled by the Guardians. He slipped easily between North and Tooth, turning to face them and holding out his arms in front of Pitch in protection.

The Guardians stared at him in shock.

"Jack! What is meaning of this?! Let us through!" North pointed his sword at Jack's chest and motioned for Jack to move over.

Jack still found nothing to say. His voice wouldn't work; the words formed in his mind, but they wouldn't come out. He shook his head several times and looked at the guardians one by one. Shock still played on their faces.

"But Jack," Tooth began, "He kidnapped you, why would you want to protect him? Now move aside." Her concerned look bore into Jack's gaze, and he finally found the words forcing their way out. The first few came out choked.

"What...what are you talking about? Kidnapped me?"

Jack turned to Sandy, who explained with images above his head. He said how Jack had gone off and not given any word of where he was going. The guardians wanted his help with Easter again, and when he suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth, the guardians got worried. When they searched for him, and found him with Pitch, they thought he was trapped. Jack felt anger rise up in his stomach at their explanation.

"_That's_ your only reason you came looking for me?! Because I hadn't been seen in a few days and you needed me for Easter? Where were you the past 300 years when I was alone?! Where were you before I was a Guardian and you didn't need me around?! What happened to you guys when_ I_ needed _you_?! You ignored me, just like everyone else! When was the last time _any_ of you ever came looking for me because of concern for my well-being?!" Hurt and anger and years of pent up frustration spilled out of Jack and uncontrolled tears fell down his face. All the Guardians looked at one another, realization, regret, and sympathy passed between glances.

"Jack..." Tooth began, reaching out to him. He pulled back.

"Don't touch me!"

North quickly grabbed Jack by the shoulder with one hand and pulled him close to them. He pulled a globe out of his jacket and threw it into the snow.

"Sandy, leave Pitch here, we need to be talking to Jack." North threw the globe opening a portal to the workshop. North pulled all of them in, Sandy's hold on Pitch disappeared and Pitch fell to the ground. Before they were sucked in through the portal, Jack took one last glance at Pitch. Pitch looked up at him from his spot on the snow. He stared intensely at Jack, eyes burning with silent questions, anger and hints of hurt. Jack had no time to respond to Pitch as he was flung inside the portal and sent to North's workshop.

Just like his first time at the workshop without breaking in, landing on the floor of the workshop after being thrown through a magic portal wasn't a pleasant experience.

The guardians had recovered from the transport and stood in front of Jack, who was sitting on the floor.

"What is this?" Jack leaned back on his hands and turned his head away from their concerned gazes to look at the floor.

"This is...problem solving session," North stepped out. "We are worried. We now know you are hurt Jack, and we want to help you figuring it out."

Jack furrowed his brow in anger, he had said all he needed to the Guardians in the forest, all that was left to do was repeat himself. He scoffed. "Oh, _now_ you want to help. _Now_ you want to be comforting. _Now_ you want to give me some recognition. I've known you all almost my entire life as Jack Frost, and you never even lifted a finger to bother with me. You only paid attention unless I was causing you trouble. Nobody bothered telling me why I was here, what I was supposed to be doing, not a single word...from any of you!" Jack's nails scraped against the wood floor as he bit back his frustration. The guardians were aggravating his mood by remaining silent and just giving him sympathetic looks. Jack couldn't take the pressure of their stares anymore.

"I don't like him at all, but Pitch doesn't deserve the treatment he gets from you when he's done nothing wrong, and neither do I. You all have always left me on my own, now that you finally care to bring me around, I'm leaving." Jack stood up and kicked his staff up into his hands. He ran to an open window and swiftly jumped through it and into the air. After free falling for a few seconds, the wind picked him up and carried him away despite the protests of his former friends behind him. They'd fly after him, Jack knew they would, but he was small and quick. It was easy lifting up into the night sky to avoid their searching eyes and piercing calls.

Jack flew as fast as he could away from the guardians, the workshop, and his hurt conscience at abandoning his former friends. How dare they rip him away from the one chance he had to be accepted. How dare they ignore him only when he's useful. How dare they take him away from his opportunity to finally be appreciated because they failed to communicate.

Jack was carried far away from the North Pole, but not completely out of the Arctic circle. It was still night time when he landed, but he could spot a glacier that had broken off its home and was free floating in the water. Jack landed lightly on the ice. He sat with his legs dangling over the edge, leaning back on his hands. Jack let the wind brush his face, the chill bringing him comfort and a bit of peace. He was sure the Guardians had lost track of him, they would probably fly right over him in about an hour. Jack fell on his back, arms spread out, and staff gripped in right hand, and looked up at the night sky. With no clouds to be seen for miles, Jack could view the entire expanse of the sky from horizon to horizon. The moon hung low in the sky and Jack had just begun to relax when a shadow completely obscured the dim light. Jack slowly opened his eyes and smiled.

"Do you just enjoy being on top of me, or is this a hint towards something a little more risque?"

Pitch rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

Jack sat up and turned to face Pitch. He grabbed his heels and bent his knees in close. Jack smirked and responded, "Which assumption is ridiculous? The one where you enjoy being on top and therefore in control of me or," Jack raised a teasing eyebrow accompanied with a smirk, "the assumption that you want something else from me that isn't just companionship?"

Pitch scoffed, rolled his eyes again and turned around. Jack's smirk still remained on his face as he stood up and went after Pitch.

"So…Do I live with you now?" Jack took to the light breeze carrying him so he wouldn't have to run. He floated around to Pitch's right from behind and circled around him giving Pitch a curious look.

"Yes," Pitch responded flatly. "Where else would you go? Back to Burgess where the Guardians would attack you? A remote village in the middle of nowhere will you'll never be seen? It defeats the purpose of joining forces Jack." Pitch spoke in a tone that made it sound so obvious. Jack scratched his head. Whether Pitch was talking down to him or not, Jack was too excited to care. This was a completely different direction for his life, it was fresh and invigorating. The concept of being around someone who believed in him was a dream come true, but he couldn't help but feel a nagging doubt in the back of his mind. IIt wasn't right, enemies joining together. As Pitch stopped walking Jack's delighted face screwed into deep thought. Pitch gave Jack a questioning look.

"It…it's just not right." Jack touched his hand to his chin in thought. Pitch glanced over at him, the blank face reappearing again as he did so.

"What isn't right, us joining forces?" Pitch turned his body to Jack.

"Yeah." Jack nodded, looking down at the snow, knowing Pitch's stare would trap him in.

"Tell me something Jack, why are we enemies?"

Pitch's question caught Jack completely off guard. It was so…Out of the blue. Jack couldn't make sense of it. But Pitch expected an answer from him, and the claw marks on Jack's neck were enough to prove that Pitch would get an answer one way or another. "Because you tried to take away all the dreams of children, turn them into nightmares and eradicate the guardians," Jack said, twisting his body and stuffing his hands in his jacket's pocket and floated around Pitch in a circle as if he was lying on his back.

"That is true. But you're also my enemy because the guardians got to you before I did. If I had met you before you were chosen to be a guardian, do you think the moon would choose you to help defeat me, or do you think that we'd fight alongside each other?"

Jack didn't understand where Pitch was going with this, his explanations for things were always confusing. They always led Jack along a path he had to go down whether he wanted to or not. Each time Pitch explained something, it was as if he was being taught a lesson. It was getting frustrating being talked down to like an imbecile all the time, and Jack's annoyed stare told Pitch he should just get on with it. Pitch rolled his eyes again and gave an exasperated sigh and clasped his hands behind his back.

"We are not enemies because of a clash in anything other than unfortunate timing and circumstance. You hate me because the Guardians told you to hate me, the moon told you to; your innocent nature drove you in the exact opposite direction I would have if I had found you first." As Jack circled Pitch again, Jack's face was forcefully grabbed from the air by Pitch's hands. They were warm against Jack's cold skin as Pitch pulled in the floating boy close to his face. Pitch looked terrifyingly determined and made Jack's eyes widen when he spoke. "If I had found you before those despicable guardians, I'd have transformed you into something darker, more beautiful than the darkness within you already." Pitch pushed Jack away forcefully, causing the younger boy to fall out of his place in the air and walked over to him.

"It's getting too cold here Jack, we need to go back before the sun comes up. My Nightmares will be returning soon and they get restless if I'm not there." Pitch looked out towards the horizon, and Jack noted the first colors of the rising sun starting to appear above the ocean.

Jack had no idea how to react to what Pitch did, and his sudden change of subject; he had once again been frozen solid by Pitch's words. Pitch had called him beautiful, and it could've had so many different meanings to it, Pitch's intentions were never clear. He'd get close, then push Jack away, then pull him closer next time. It left Jack confused and prying at answers, but he set them aside and nodded at Pitch.

"Alright," Jack said standing up. "How are we going to get back?"

Pitch held out one long arm towards Jack. "Hold on."

Jack did as he was told and groaned inwardly as Pitch sunk below the ice into the shadows he used for transportation. This couldn't be any more pleasant than being thrown into a magic portal transporting him half-way across the world. Jack's inward groan turned into an outward yelp as Pitch's arm dragged him down into the shadows and through the portal headed to Pitch's lair.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys, thanks for being patient~ I'm happy with how this is turning out overall. (Even if this chapter is super awkward) I thought nobody would ever glance at my writing, let alone read it. Again, reviews are appreciated greatly! Oh, and hey, I have a tumblr if you'd like to follow my story through there as well. The link is on my profile. Enjoy!_

Jack felt all the air pushed out of his lungs as he was sucked through the shadows. The tightness of the transport was unbelievably constrictive, most likely meant for Pitch alone. It only lasted for a few seconds, but for those brief moments, Jack was pressed tight against Pitch's body, his warmth burning against Jack's cold skin. Jack felt a twinge of uneasiness run through him. Pitch was taking him back to his home, his domain, where Jack was virtually powerless to resist Pitch in any way. Shadows lurking everywhere, all controlled by Pitch, Jack could very well be falling into an inescapable trap. The hallways shifted to Pitch's whim, the darkness was adjustable to what Pitch wanted. The lair left Jack with nowhere to turn if he needed to escape.

Appearing up through a shadow in the floor, Jack instantly fell over gasping for air. Pitch briefly put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and quickly walked away. It was just another gesture that confused Jack. He was always touching Jack whenever the two met up. Not that Jack complained. He would never say it out loud to Pitch, but Jack loved the sensation of someone else's skin against his, even if it was Pitch's. He didn't mind the brush of his fingers through his hair, the protective arm around his waist, the grip of his long fingers around his shoulders, hell, Jack even admitted to himself to liking Pitch's grip on his jaw. Even if all those were platonic or threatening, Jack enjoyed the contact. 300 years of being alone and only having himself made Jack lonely and craving of attention, and Pitch gave him just enough to keep him coming back.

Jack looked up and saw Pitch standing on the edge of a vast corridor that faded into complete darkness. Jack slowly walked up to Pitch's side and peered into the hallway.

"The Nightmares come back through here?" Pitch pointed to the large corridor several stories high and no less than 50 feet across in front of him.

Pitch nodded in response to Jack's question, but made no further attempt to talk to Jack. He simply waited. Jack, getting anxious with the quiet, walked up to the giant hole in the wall expecting to fall in. Upon further inspection however, Jack realized that the never ending corridor was a painted wall. The entire wall was painted completely black, no depth to it at all as Jack originally thought. Jack stepped forward and ran his fingers lightly against the wall, leaving trails of ice with his touch. As he walked along the length of the wall, Jack almost jumped away in fright when a Nightmare pushed through the wall and brushed up against Jack's hand. It shook its head at Jack's icy touch as a pattern of frost played along its long nose. The pattern of white against black was gorgeous, but Jack had no time to marvel at his accident as several more Nightmares pushed their way through the wall and into the lair.

Pitch laughed at Jack's surprise, and laughed further when jack turned around and glared at him. As Jack walked back to Pitch's side, the rest of the Nightmare horde came bursting through the wall, covering the expanse of the black and dispersing throughout the floor. A Nightmare landed loudly inches away from Jack, causing him to jump backwards and straight into Pitch. The shock alone was embarrassing enough, but hearing Pitch laugh at him was the worst. It wasn't a teasing laugh; it was one of twisted intentions. Pitch enjoyed watching Jack suffer, Jack knew that, and even suffering from embarrassment and flat out surprise was enough to cause a smirk to plaster itself onto Pitch's face at Jack's expense.

Not one to be laughed at, Jack lightly hit his staff against the floor, causing a thin layer of ice to form on the stone underneath their feet. It didn't bother Jack one bit, but Pitch lost his balance. The controlled Nightmares dispersed into dream sand that also disappeared as their master lost his balance. Long legs and arms flew out in all directions and Jack found the whole sight completely hysterical until one of Pitch's arms hit Jack on the back of the knee. It caused the guardian to fall forward and the ice didn't help Jack to regain his balance. When Pitch landed on the floor, Jack's foot hooked underneath his opposite ankle, causing Jack to fall forward and slightly to the right, directly on top of Pitch. Jack thought nothing of it as he lay on top of Pitch, trying to contain his laughter at the glowering face of his companion. Short bursts of Jack's chuckles were the only thing making noise in the echoing lair. The watchful gaze of the Nightmares had disappeared, leaving the two of them alone in the dark empty room.

Jack's laughter had subsided. He had calmed down enough to notice that Pitch wasn't moving underneath him, and that his face had frozen in a surprised expression. Jack silently raised an eyebrow and gave Pitch the cockiest grin he could muster. Pitch's eyes widened further in shock and his face got a shade paler. He pushed his palms against Jack's hips, lifting Jack up and threw him to the right. Jack slammed down into the cobblestone on his left hip. It hurt when he hit, but the pain was quickly detracted when he looked over and Pitch's face of surprise and turned into a malicious glare.

"Don't ever think of doing that again," Pitch hissed and stood up. He took no action against Jack, and just walked away. All the joy Jack felt at teasing Pitch deflated at his glare. Jack sunk back onto his hands and sighed. Pitch may be good support, but he was no fun. Jack stood up and walked over to the angry Pitch.

"Stop being so melodramatic, it was a joke." Jack said, wrapping his arms around Pitch's shoulders. He didn't know why he did that, maybe it was a method of apology. Pitch sucked in a short breath, more of a gasp really, and Jack felt Pitch's arms muscles tense at Jack's icy touch. Jack quickly withdrew his hands, and Pitch visibly relaxed.

To Jack's surprise, Pitch didn't turn around and yell, he simply melted into the shadows underneath him. Quicker than normal, Jack noted.

Taking it as a sign that he needed time to himself, Jack wandered around the vast main cavern until he came upon a small secluded hallway big enough for Jack to walk comfortably through. It wasn't freezing, but the air that drafted from it was cooler than the rest of the lair. A scent freshly cut wood and hints of pine drifted out into the open. It was inviting despite the fact that Jack couldn't see more than three feet into the hallway. Curiosity taking over, Jack wandered down the hall, his fingers trailing along the side leaving patterns of frost. After taking a few steps, the winter spirit disappeared into the darkness.

Pitch reappeared alone in one of the many studies sprinkled in the layout of his home. Used as places to read, all of the rooms in the lair similar to this were lined with books from every era of human history. Horror stories mostly adorned the shelves, but here and there one could find epics, poetry – of the horrifying and adventurous quality – tragedies, and even a few comedies. These rooms were the place Pitch spent most of his time in because they were quiet and secluded; perfect for him to plan his next attack on innocent children. But Pitch was here now not to sort out his next scheme, but to sort out whatever the hell his body just did –or rather didn't do – when Jack touched him.

Why did he freeze up? Why did he not turn around and strike Jack like he fully intended to? Why did his voice refuse to rise, refuse to assign fear to his heart so Jack would never touch him again? Why did Pitch refuse to harden his heart and push Jack away?

Could he be starting to get a soft spot...for Jack?

Pitch snarled at the thought and rubbed his face with his hands. It couldn't be; Pitch developing any kind of feelings for Jack was crossing into another domain he had no intention of going into. Jack was completely off-limits in that way, so why did he freeze up at the boy's touch? Why did his lips go dry and his breath catch in his throat? Why did he have to resist the urge to whip around and hold the boy close?

Pitch was torn between acting on a small whim of feelings and pushing the event to the back of his mind. Ignoring the situation would make so many future complications go away, but not acknowledging it might push Jack to leaving if he felt the same way. Pitch groaned in exasperation - this was much too complicated for the first day there. He couldn't possibly want Jack as more than a friend. It was a perversion of their joining forces and an abuse of his power over the fragile boy. Besides, Pitch didn't have feelings for Jack in the first place.

Pitch sat down in a chair on the far side of the room, and grabbed a book at random from the shelf behind him. Maybe reading would calm his mind down enough to think.

The words written eons ago weren't enough to comfort Pitch. His mind was still buzzing with questions, and none of them had been answered. The nightmarish book provided no help for Pitch whatsoever; neither did the several other novels he had flipped through.

As questions still plagued Pitch's mind, a sense of self-doubt crept in, slowly but surely. What if the show of affection had meant nothing to Jack, and Pitch was over thinking again? The entire world was just a plaything to the guardian of fun; what could Pitch have possibly been thinking when he thought he had been excluded from that category? Pitch had the crazy notion to believe he actually meant something to Jack.

No, Pitch was much less to Jack than that. They were still enemies, sharing a mutual hatred for each other. Pitch was the equivalent of a hot summer's day to the winter spirit.

Pitch covered his face with his hands, falling back into the chair. How could he have brought Jack here? How could he have thought that Jack had suddenly forgotten the pain and suffering Pitch had inflicted upon him and the people he cared about? Jack probably had some kind of plot to infiltrate his lair, learn its secrets and reveal them to the Guardians so Pitch could be destroyed once and for all. Why else would Jack join him? All Pitch felt was shame at his stupidity. Shame and anger.

Pitch's already erratic temper rose in frustration. He was angry at Jack for tricking him, angry at Jack for deceiving him. It hurt Pitch on so many levels that the one person he decided to trust had betrayed him. Pitch's fingers were now clenched in his hair, pulling at his scalp, nails digging into skin.

A creaking door alerted Pitch that someone was coming in. The only other person here would be—

"Oh there you are! I've been wandering your place for hours now, I got lost like five times," Jack laughed and walked into the room, leaving the door open. Pitch saw Jack's bare feet through the cracks of his fingers, watching Jack stop when he first walked in, then rush over to his side. Pitch could still only see Jack's feet and the ice he left all over the floor when he walked, but then Pitch felt Jack's cool hand fall on his shoulder. Pitch felt his breath catch at the touch, but made no acknowledgement to Jack.

"Hey what's wrong?"

Pitch gave no response.

"If this is about earlier...It was meant to be a joke." Jack's hand moved off of Pitch's shoulder, and Pitch didn't know what he was going to do until he felt Jack's hand reach up to grab one of Pitch's. Pitch kept his grip on his hair firm, but Jack pulled it away using just a little more force. Ice trailed up Pitch's hands, reaching up to the tips of his fingers and disappearing down at the middle of his forearm. The Nightmare King was forced to look at Jack with the uncovered part of his face.

Jack had moved over and kneeled down so his face was level with Pitch's. He had also leaned forward on the balls of his feet enough so he was a few mere inches away from Pitch's face.

"I didn't know it would upset you so much," Jack spoke softly.

Pitch was shocked and didn't know what to say. Jack was so close to his face, he could feel his breath graze his palms. His eyes spelled out how sorry he truly was towards Pitch, and Pitch just wanted to run his fingers through that snow white hair. Pitch's anger and worry had temporarily melted away because of the Guardian before him.

Pitch guessed Jack took it as a sign to keep talking, so he did. "I want to stay here as long as I possibly can. Starting off day one by pissing you off isn't going to prolong my residence here. So...I'm sorry."

With that first statement, Pitch suddenly remembered he was livid at Jack. His surprise turned into fury. His shocked expression melted away into a dark grimace. Pitch noted a flicker of fear in Jack's eyes. Ripping his eyes away from the beautiful blue pools of regret, Pitch quickly stood up. It caused Jack to fall back onto the floor, giving Pitch the complete upper hand.

"You think this is a _game_ Frost? You think I'm just going to sit back and let you get away with whatever you want?!" Pitch slowly walked towards Jack, who scrambled backwards and hit one of the bookshelves. The room around them grew dark with shadow creatures as Pitch's anger seethed. It was surely getting a reaction from Jack; he could tell the younger boy was afraid.

Pitch felt Jack's fear radiate from him like hot steam in cold air. Pitch picked up the fear of being hurt, but there was another anxiety stronger than the first. One that Jack had experienced multiple times it seemed. Pitch sensed Jack's fear of being thrown out into the world alone again. Pitch's angry resolve faltered as he stood over Jack.

The fear of being alone told Pitch that if Jack was thrown out, the guardians wouldn't take him back. Nobody would. He couldn't be conspiring with the guardians if this fear – however lightly – tinted his emotions.

Pitch could hear Jack's pleas to remain unharmed. They seemed so far away though, as if Jack was shouting at him from behind thick glass.

Pitch had been lost in his own thoughts. It was a complete surprise when Jack shot a blast of cold air and ice in Pitch's face, sending him flying backwards. Pitch hit the floor with a hard thud, and all his senses came rushing back to him as Jack landed on top of Pitch, sitting on his stomach and aiming his staff in his face.

"Seriously, what is your deal?! You _completely shatter_ the reality I built up for 300 years, piece it back together, tell me nothing but the truth and invite me into your home! We decide not to be enemies and then when I come to apologize for something I've done and you attack me?!" Jack's face was a painting of confusion, anger, and hurt. "And when I offer to make it up to you, you just stand there and glare at me! If you want me to leave then just say so and stop fucking around!"

Pitch couldn't even be angry at Jack at this point. This gorgeous spirit was sitting on top of him, disheveled and pissed. Apparently the guardian of fun had a darker side than Pitch originally imagined. He had gotten a glimpse of this side in a long ago battle in the Arctic, but Pitch had brushed it away as hopeful thinking. At that moment though, Pitch wasn't thinking. All he could do was stare at the infuriated ex-Guardian straddling his hips. It was an effective method to keeping him pinned and yet...Well, Pitch didn't admit to himself, but having Jack on top of him like this was alluring, sexy. The way he shouted at Pitch and leaned forward to gain more leverage only made Pitch push down harder on the tension twisting through his gut. The massive urge to flip Jack over and rip off that hoodie concealing the most gorgeous body Pitch could imagine only grew the longer Jack sat on top of him and shouted. Pitch still wouldn't admit it to himself. He couldn't want Jack like that.

Jack snapped Pitch back to reality when he moved his staff to rest under his chin, tilting his head back. Pitch had heard what Jack said even while lost in his sexual thoughts. In the midst of his line-crossing fantasy, Pitch realized Jack had wanted to stay, and all he felt was relieved. The feelings of worry and tension just disappeared when he knew Jack wasn't double crossing him.

For the first time in a long time, Pitch smiled with something resembling happiness, not malice or ill will. A choked laugh escaped as he closed his eyes and rested his head back, ignoring Jack's confused and angry stare. Pitch just lay there smiling like an idiot. He wasn't going to be alone forever. He wasn't going to have his heart ripped open a second time from rejection. For whatever reason, Jack was going to stay...Jack _wanted_ to stay. And that was a beautiful thought to Pitch.

Jack was extremely confused as to why Pitch was smiling underneath him. He kept asking why, but Pitch didn't seem to hear him. After an annoying few minutes of trying to get the attention of the man underneath him, Jack realized he was still straddling the King of Nightmares. He was sitting on top of the thing that brought fear into the world; sitting on top of him in one of the most sexual ways possible. A light pink dusted his face and Jack quickly rolled off of Pitch to sit beside him.

Jack rubbed his eyes with one hand and turned to Pitch. "You're an odd one," he said. Pitch turned his head to him, the smile on his face still bright as ever. For Pitch, it was a little creepy how happy he was. It was putting Jack on edge.

Pitch sat up and cleared his throat, resuming his calm facial expression. To Jack, it was oddly more comforting than the happiness. It seemed too unnatural for the normally sour man to smile.

"I suppose so." Pitch stood up, and Jack remained sitting on the floor. Pitch looked down at him, and a glint of...something...registered in his eyes. Jack had never seen this specific glance from Pitch before, but he could've sworn it was something close to hunger.

Feeling like Pitch was dissecting him again, so Jack quickly stood up and brushed himself off. Pitch began to circle Jack, making the other shift his weight from foot to foot.

In his hours of time walking around the dark hallways of the underground lair, opening random doors and going wherever he wanted, Jack had had the time to think to himself. He thought about how fast the past week had been, and why Pitch had bothered taking him in. Why would he not just kill him and have one less guardian to worry about? Jack had shaken his head at that. They both wanted someone to keep company, regardless of who it was. That question had been answered already.

But, Jack had thought, if it was any of the Guardians offering him the same situation, he would've refused. He wouldn't have wanted to stay with them. They wouldn't have understood why he needed the other being around. They wouldn't have grasped why he wanted someone to talk to, someone to touch. Eventually they'd get so wrapped up in themselves that Jack would've been forced to remain alone again. Jack had sighed, and it echoed off the dark cold hallways. Once again Pitch's words held true and Jack was at a loss to find anything arguing against his logic. Pitch would be there to comfort him, be there to listen, nonjudgmental and understanding.

One question continuously burned a hole in Jack's brain, however. He had pushed it to a corner of his mind on a back burner, but it always continued to boil over and creep its way into his thoughts. It always found a way to take over his mind, mostly appearing in Jack's weakest moments of mental fortitude. He had found himself asking it at the bottom of the ocean as Pitch kept him and stroking his hair; it had appeared when Pitch grabbed at his jaw, made itself known when Pitch got too close to his face, when Pitch pinned him down to the snow, and even just a moment ago when he was sitting on top of Pitch.

Even though all the events had happened in the course of a few days, Jack had been starting to ask more and more frequently, was he attracted to Pitch? Did he want the King of Nightmares as something more than a companion? True, the man was dark and mesmerizing, the way he walked with poise and evil purpose, everything he had to say having a meaning. His dark personality drew Jack in through those golden eyes that always held so many layers of emotion Jack couldn't even begin to decipher. He felt he couldn't just ignore the piercing gaze, the long limbs that had comforted him, and that damn glaring smirk that always sent Jack's heart into a knotted frenzy.

Jack couldn't just brush it off with a shake of his head anymore, Pitch was downright sexy inside and out. Everything about him drew Jack in like a moth to a flame. And then there was that damn creeping doubt again. Pitch was the master of the darkness. Nightmares and fear brought him comfort and a grim sense of satisfaction. It still felt slightly odd to be in Pitch's lair, how could they possibly wind up…Together? How could Pitch ever want company in that form?

Jack had been wandering random hallways trying to reason with his inner thoughts until he came upon a door that finally captured his interests. Pushing it open, he didn't expect to find Pitch, but on some level he was glad he did. Maybe explaining to him that he was sorry and he really did want to stay would calm Pitch enough so Jack could sort out the turmoil in his mind. Anger was not what he expected to get out of it. He was afraid Pitch would hurt him, but he was more afraid of being abandoned again, being thrown out. He had abandoned the Guardians, and now Pitch was throwing him out too? Jack couldn't breathe when he thought that he'd be left alone, just when he was so close to having something close to understanding.

Now, as Pitch was circling around Jack, taking Jack apart with his gaze, Jack's fear – surprisingly – melted away. It seemed impossible to him that the embodiment of fear could make him calm, but he did. Pitch went full circle around Jack, coming back to stare him in the eyes. Jack went through the familiar sensation of being trapped within them, but made no attempt to break out this time.

"Tell me something Jack," Pitch said. "If one pokes a sleeping dragon, what fate befalls him?"

Jack looked at Pitch confused. He was being lectured again, and Jack still didn't like being treated like a little kid. Jack glared at Pitch, and Pitch just kept still in front of Jack, staring down at him. Jack wanted desperately to figure out what had been going on in Pitch's mind. The blank slate of a face in front of him only taunted Jack with secrets. He could sense the layers underlying that blank stare, but could do nothing to pry them out.

As Jack continued to gape at him, Pitch rolled his eyes in annoyance. "When one wakes a sleeping monster, they are going to get eaten." Pitch leaned in towards Jack, the shadows all around the room growing up and around the two. Jack's eyes widened with fear as the outside world was cut off, and Pitch just leaned closer, looming over Jack like a predator.

"You'd best not touch me again Frost, it would be…most unfortunate." Jack hardly heard the words come from Pitch's mouth. He was so close. It was almost unbearable for Jack to simply stand there. No matter how messed up it felt to Jack, he couldn't deny any longer his twitching fingers and racing heartbeat for the spirit in front of him. Jack wanted to feel Pitch's fingers entangled in his hair, wanted to melt into the lithe body, feel Pitch's warm skin against his whether it be hands exploring his body or nails scratching into his back.

That last flit of thought caused Jack's face turn a shade of pink again, and he looked down and away from Pitch. Jack didn't want to think about the consequences of his actions anymore, he didn't want to think things through and plan the best course of action. He was the guardian of fun, flitting between places and never looking back on past actions, what made a situation like this so different? Why should he start hesitating now? What made Jack's blood run cold when Pitch just leaned in closer and threatening with his shadows?

Pitch's head tilted to one side as Jack sighed, a cold gust of air coming between the two. A triumphant smirk spread across Pitch's face when Jack looked back up to face Pitch. Jack was once again in the situation where he was at a loss for words. He could feel his heart beating loudly in his ear drums as his hands clenched and unclenched.

It was too much for Jack to handle. The tension, the emotions, and Pitch. It was too much for Jack to think rationally, so just as Pitch was about to turn away in confidence Jack dropped his staff on the floor, grabbed Pitch by the sides of his face, and pressed their lips together.

It was a harsh, jerky movement that almost threw Pitch off balance. Jack kept his hold firm, and when Pitch suddenly relaxed and kissed back, Jack knew at least he wasn't going to die now. One of Pitch's hands found its way around Jack's shoulder and into his hair, the other had wrapped possessively around his waist. Jack's hands still clutched Pitch's face, but Pitch tilted his head to the side to deepen the kiss. It was not to Jack's liking to relinquish control to Pitch, but he had no other choice. His brain was on high functioning wires, moving too fast to think clearly about how wrong all of this was. It was wrong that Pitch had parted his lips against Jack and forcefully slid his tongue into the frost spirit's mouth. It was wrong that Jack not only didn't pull away, but responded to Pitch by mirroring the movement and pressing his body as close to Pitch as he could. The moral complications didn't even register in Jack's mind as Pitch slipped the hand previously around Jack's waist up underneath his jacket to let the warm hand roam along his icy skin. The only thing that registered as odd in Jack's mind was why Pitch didn't flinch away when he first grabbed him with such force that caused ice and frost patterns to play across his gray face.

Jack's entire focus was on Pitch as their bodies reacted to the others movements. Jack wasn't one hundred percent aware of the fact that his body's sense of touch had gone into overhaul though. All he knew was that he felt the coarseness of Pitch's hand as it explored his back, the hand in his hair shaking slightly as the nails dug into his scalp. Jack even felt the softness of Pitch's lips against his despite the harsh urgency of the kiss. He felt as if every single one of the layers Pitch had been carefully hiding the whole time had been exposed. He not only liked Jack, he wanted him, craved him, and lusted after him. Jack could just tell from the other's erratic breathing that he had wanted this as much as Jack had. Jack felt stupid for not noticing earlier. When he pressed into Pitch again sending the Nightmare King back a step, it only made his body ache more when Pitch responded by dragging his long nails down Jack's back.

It was over too soon when Pitch pulled away, almost making Jack whimper at the loss. Almost. Pitch removed his hands from underneath Jack's jacket and he stepped back half a pace but Jack's hands remained on Pitch's face. When Jack refused to let go despite Pitch's warning glare, Pitch took hold of Jack's wrists and removed them from his face.

Still keeping Jack's wrist held, Pitch gave Jack an unreadable look. "I must say, I was angry at you for ignoring my protests, but that was quite the interesting turn of events. Certainly something I hadn't foreseen." His voice was flat. Maybe it was too soon for something to happen between the two.

Jack looked up at Pitch, a light pink still dusting Jack's cheeks. Too many thoughts had piled up for Jack to form anything close to a coherent sentence. He had to get out and think. Ignoring the distracting feeling of Pitch rubbing his thumbs over the inside of Jack's wrists, he took himself out of Pitch's grasp, tore himself away from the intense gaze, and walked to the far side of the room to retrieve his staff. Walking past Pitch, he muttered a brief "sorry" before rushing out of the room. Jack ran his fingers through his hair as his back sat against the wooden door he just shut. Pitch was confusing as hell, and Jack needed to think. He started to run out of the darkened hallway in the opposite direction he had come, looking back at the door he exited. Jack walked out the hall and wound up in the main room of the lair. He sighed. This was one big mess he had gotten himself into. Jack took to the slight draft in the room and found a small hole to sit in. The few columns of light that came in through the ceiling provided the hole Jack sat in to be void of shadows. Pitch couldn't sneak up on him here without him knowing. The hole was carved out of the wall, part of some intricate ancient design. It was comfortable, allowing Jack just enough room to stretch out his legs, but not too big so he couldn't sit back.

Jack settled down into the nook with his hood pulled up, staff leaning by his side and hands shoved in his hoodie pocket. He stared off into the distance, and tried to clear his head.

Pitch was left alone in the middle of the room as Jack shut the door behind him after apologizing. Quickly after Jack left, Pitch had to sit down to calm himself. He rubbed his face with his hands, the cold of Jack's skin underneath them long gone, replaced by Pitch's slight warmth. He took a deep breath and evening out his heartbeat. He tries and failed to push the memory of Jack perfectly fitting against his body, the way he seemed to want more, and the broken look of want in his eyes when Pitch broke away. Pitch knew he couldn't start having feelings for Jack, but the growing heat in his face and pants said otherwise.

Pitch rolled his eyes to himself, Jack was being dramatic. He probably thought Pitch didn't like the advancement, which was the complete opposite of his actual reaction.

Pitch shook his head and began to pace back and forth in the room. Jack had kissed him, so why didn't he feel disgusted? Why did he pull Jack into him and kiss back? Why did he want it to happen again?

Pitch growled to himself. He couldn't deny the guardian was irresistible, tantalizing, and had a way of staking claim in Pitch's mind. But what if Jack was just toying with him? Treating the world like his playground was a regular pastime for the Guardian of Fun. Maybe Pitch was just another thing for him to toy with, to use and abuse until he got bored. Pitch's stomach twisted at the thought, but he couldn't be mad. All he thought about was how inviting Jack's face was when he had been straddling his hips, angry and in control. All Pitch wanted to do then was put Jack's cocky attitude in its place. Maybe by way of certain coercions, like binding shadows and slow strip teases accompanied by his fingers in all the right places just making Jack cry out for more and it would be such a sweet sound to ring throughout the empty halls. Pitch smirked at the thought of Jack moaning his name underneath him, long legs wrapped around his waist and arms wrapped around Pitch like he was the only thing keeping him to the world and–

Pitch scowled to himself. This was not the time to get turned on.

Fuck...He had to find Jack again. This dramatic scene had to come to a close. Either they do something about what just happened, or everything stays tense and unbearable.

The shadows Pitch was constantly aware of told him Jack had not yet left, and was hiding somewhere in the main room out of their reach. But they could see him. At least he wasn't gone. Pitch stood up, his mind and body under control, and walked out of the room to look for Jack.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note: IMPORTANT. Since this is the nsfw, smutty chapter, I don't know how long this will stay up on FF till my account or the chapter itself is deleted. If it is deleted, let me know and I'll link you guys over to another account where it'll be there forever ._._

_So I hope you guys enjoy it while you can, and I appreciate the feedback! Thanks for all the reviews!_

The dreams that infected Jack's head were ones he couldn't distinctly remember, but weren't quite lost to memory yet. Pitch made an appearance in all of them, but none of the dreams were nightmarish. During the first, Jack was wrapped up in his arms. It wasn't just a comfort thing though; Jack felt it was something of a romantic gesture between the two. Pitch's arm was lying across Jack's back, resting on his hoodie and the other was underneath his head providing support. Jack felt himself blush when he looked down and saw one of his legs wrapped around Pitch's waist, but he didn't seem to mind. The two of them were so close. Jack was surprised Pitch didn't back away from the cold, or the ice forming along his frame.

Jack remembered looking up at Pitch, and Pitch looking back down at him in return. All the malice had melted away from Pitch's eyes. All the hate, the anger, the loneliness, all of it was gone. It wasn't replaced by kindness or caring, but rather contentment for whatever situation they found themselves in. Jack wasn't threatened, or in danger. He simply enjoyed Pitch's long fingers making slow circles on his lower back and occasionally tracing them up and down his spine. He had time to sit in the comfort before being thrown into the next series of images.

Another dream Jack flitted through was the battle in the forest. That seemed like eons ago. He seemed to be looking down upon the scene, as if he was a passing ghost. The battle played out and Jack cursed himself for not moving to help Pitch before the Guardians had closed around him. Jack's own determined face shone through the dense group, and when the Jack in the scene was whisked away by North's snow globe, the observing Jack remained behind.

He looked at Pitch's hurt face and wanted to go down. He watched Pitch fall into the snow and suppressed a laugh before going down to get a better view. Pitch didn't acknowledge Jack, which meant he must be invisible in this scene to everyone. Well, that was nothing new.

Jack watched as Pitch gave a short but longing glance at the place the portal had disappeared to and Jack felt a short twang of regret. It wasn't on purpose, but he had left Pitch with his hopes up. Jack had been kidnapped by the guardians before Pitch even had a chance to be happy Jack was joining him. Although Jack knew Pitch was used to being alone, it was never a pleasant feeling one would want to return to.

Before Jack could think more about how completely alone Pitch was, he was being whisked away into the next dream he couldn't quite grasp hold of. It was another of Pitch and him, and Jack was not watching, but in his own body this time. The details of everything he saw were vague and unfocused, and Jack only remembered snippets of what had transpired. Although what he did remember would later make the guardian blush a bright red, Jack didn't try to deny what his subconscious had weaved in his sleep. The one clear thing Jack could recall was that both of them had discarded their clothes, but the rest was mostly a huge blur.

Pitch was behind Jack, pressed firmly against his back. His right arm was wrapped under Jack's arm and wrapped around his chest. Jack felt his breath hitch and tried to suppress a light moan when Pitch's first two fingers rubbed small circles over his exposed nipple. Jack couldn't recall where Pitch's left arm was, maybe around his waist or groping his ass, but Jack just couldn't remember. Pitch had been biting up Jack's neck at the time, only making Jack bite his lip hard to suppress more wanton moans. The light grazing of Pitch's lips against Jack's skin was hardly there though. Jack was feeling all of this as if half of his nerves had been cut off. All of the biting and sucking on his neck were almost lost on Jack, as if he was wearing a thick scarf.

Jack's gaze was locked somewhere far off and slightly to the left, his limbs unable to move from their limp position at his sides. His growing pleasure only subsided when Jack finally snapped his eyes open to the waking world.

Jack had drifted off when he should've been thinking. He was tired, didn't want to move, and just fell asleep without realizing it. He woke up sometime later. The column of light that previously sheltered him from the shadows was several feet above him. The sun was setting in the distance, and Jack's heart skipped a beat when he realized he had nothing to protect himself from Pitch. The sun was his last boat on the turbulent waves of a storm, and his boat had sprung a leak and sunk.

Jack sighed and jumped out of the nook in the wall. He'd have to find Pitch sooner or later. This was the guy's house after all. Jack wouldn't be able to hide for long.

Jack walked around the main hall of the lair, not really going anywhere, but not wanting to stop moving. He wandered with his staff casually behind his back, and thought about that last dream. Although it was the most ambiguous of the three, it was the one Jack put all his focus to. He knew he wanted Pitch as more than a friend, but was he really thinking of such things already?

Jack groaned. He couldn't deny his dream, however wrong it was. However odd it seemed to want the Nightmare King in his pants, Jack couldn't brush it off. Has he always been this messed up?

Jack ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. He had once asked Sandy to explain what dreams meant. Sandy told, or rather explained with pictures, that dreams were a projection of the subconscious. Inner thoughts, desires, wishes and wants that the thinking mind wasn't aware of, no matter how convoluted, were expressed in dreams. They always meant something.

Jack had been rather confused at first, trying to interpret what Sandy was explaining, but it made sense to Jack at that moment. He had been trying to push down his want for Pitch, denying his own body's need for things beyond simple physical contact. The dream Jack had had told him enough of that.

Jack had been walked through and ignored for so long. His mind and heart had built a fortress against the constant assaults of the mortals around him. Then Pitch came along and demolished his defenses in one sweep. Jack wasn't used to being touched, let alone being held, petted or grasped at. It had twisted his thinking and his feelings, making him only want more of Pitch as time went on. Jack had begun to crave the touch, the closeness, even if it was with one who could rip him to shreds.

Jack sighed; Pitch didn't want any of that. He had pushed Jack away and said nothing when Jack had walked out of that room, only looked confused and angry. Pitch didn't want anything to do with Jack beyond company, and it twisted Jack's heart to think it wouldn't go beyond that.

Pitch hadn't come to look for Jack, to his slight disappointment. But Jack was acting childish, and while perfectly normal for the Guardian of Fun, it was inappropriate and odd around Pitch. No wonder Pitch didn't come looking for him, he didn't fit into the Nightmare King's standards. And the way Jack acted, he never would.

Jack felt a crack in his heart widen at the thought. He clutched at his jacket and stopped dead in his tracks. He would be viewed forever as that child who lives in the lair; he'd just be an immature nuisance if he came at Pitch again with intentions of anything above companionship. Nothing more would work. Jack shut his eyes tight and clutched his staff hard enough for the wood to creak underneath his knuckles.

Jack let out an involuntary breath he didn't need and came to a resolve. He had to find Pitch and go tell him it wouldn't happen again. No matter how much he wanted Pitch, pined after him and craved him, Jack couldn't let that get in the way of his stay here. He didn't want to be thrown out on his own.

Jack turned on his heels to go find Pitch, his head bent down. He hardly noticed the shadows underneath his feet before he ran into Pitch's torso and stumbled backwards. He glared up at Pitch's face.

Pitch looked down at him in turn with a slight glimmer of dark amusement. "You've got to watch where you're going unless you want to continue running into me."

"Don't mock me."

"Mock you?" Pitch barked out a short laugh. "I'm simply stating the truth Jack. Have I done anything else?"

Jack looked down and away at the floor with his eyebrows furrowed together, unable to respond. Pitch made it so infuriatingly impossible to hold a conversation without being humiliated. Jack took his staff and jammed it into the stone ground at his side. It stood straight up, and the ground around the bottom was laced with ice. Despite his body's resistance, Jack turned his gaze back to Pitch.

"Look, about earlier-"

Pitch opened his mouth to interrupt Jack but he just kept talking.

"No, let me talk. I'm really sorry I acted out and kissed you it was stupid and brash and I shouldn't have done it and you probably hated it and you're completely disgusted with me so I'll never do it again just please let me stay here and don't hate me forever and I just want to stay here so I don't have to go back to the guardians on my hands and knees after I just left them because they'll most likely reject me anyway so then I'll be alone forever and I won't even be able to go back to Burgess meaning if I don't show up the kids won't believe in me anymore so I'll have to start all over again with nothing and I'll have no chance of being believed in again and that just...really really sucks." Jack had lost track of what he was saying halfway through and just let his emotions speak for him. What he said was true, even if it did come out as one long stream of babble that Pitch most likely didn't care about. He didn't care about Jack being alone forever, and Jack certainly didn't make his argument very convincing with that last segment.

Pitch remained silent, giving Jack an expression he couldn't read. He chuckled underneath his breath and slowly shook his head.

"Your emotions have gotten the better of you once again Jack. To spare myself the frustration of having you figure it out yourself, I'll tell you. Now, if you had simply thought for a moment, you'd realize I didn't want to kick you out. Why would I so willingly get rid of you once I finally had you in my grasp? That would defeat the purpose of me inviting you in the first place if I simply eliminated you at the slightest hint of my discontent." Pitch tilted his head to one side the hint of amusement not leaving his eyes and watched the cogs begin to turn in Jack's mind. Jack, once again, cursed his emotions for overtaking his head. Jack looked back up at Pitch. His other statement had not yet been answered.

"You haven't said anything about..."

Pitch rolled his eyes in annoyance and put a hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack looked down at it and wondered why Pitch ignored the frost growing on his palm. Jack tilted his head up to look directly at Pitch.

"I believe I answered that already, but if you want me to repeat myself, I'll gladly do so just so you understand."

Jack felt Pitch's other hand wrap around the wrist holding his staff. At first Jack thought Pitch was going to attack him and rip away his only protection. It only confused Jack when Pitch pulled forward on his captured arm causing Jack to fall into him, crushing their lips together. Jack was unprepared, but Pitch was more than ready. Pitch's tongue forced itself into Jack's mouth as his grip on Jack's wrist tightened. Jack absentmindedly ran his tongue against Pitch's as the wheels in his mind turned over on themselves.

Pitch was actually kissing him. The King of Nightmares, the harbinger of fear, was battling for dominance inside Jack's mouth. He was moving the hand on Jack's shoulder to wrap around his waist and pull him closer. Jack's doubts of Pitch being disgusted with him had melted away at that instant, leaving Jack almost giddy. He wasn't a nuisance, wasn't a childish thing to pity, he was something Pitch went after, wanted to be around. He didn't have to meet any standards around Pitch, he could just be himself and that'd be perfect for both of them.

Pitch let go of Jack's wrist and let it join the other around Jack's middle. Jack smiled against Pitch's lips and hooked his now free arms around Pitch's neck. Jack tilted his head to the right to get himself closer to Pitch, enjoying the feel of Pitch's tongue pressed against his own and his soft lips shifting slightly to accommodate the tilt. Jack felt Pitch's dominant side emerge as he pushed against Jack's advances.

Jack fought back against Pitch's tongue invading his mouth, causing Pitch to give Jack's lower lip a warning bite. It wasn't enough to make him bleed, just enough to leave a red mark and make Jack gasp. He didn't think being bitten would make his dick harden and send shivers of pleasure up his spine, and he certainly didn't expect the breathy moan to escape his lips when Pitch pulled back slightly to pull at Jack's lip. He could feel Pitch smirk against him at the reaction as he trailed the tip of his tongue along the bite mark.

Pitch pulled his face away but kept his arms around Jack's waist.

"I believe that answered your question, and you answered a few of mine."

Jack's senses returned to him at the break. In those hazy few moments, he had let his staff fall to the floor and apparently his legs had gone weak because Pitch was bent over and holding the guardian. Jack's toes were barely touching the floor and his legs were completely relaxed and falling away from Pitch, as if he was caught before sinking to the ground.

"When did I fall so far?" Jack started to right himself so he could stand up straight.

"The second you agreed to join me."

Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed at the cocky response. Before Jack could unravel his arms from Pitch's neck, Pitch straightened his back all the way, causing Jack to be lifted several inches off the floor to look Pitch dead in the eyes. Working on instinct now, Jack wrapped his legs around Pitch's waist so he wouldn't be dropped. Jack instantly regretted it though, and a light pink flushed his cheeks. The growing cold in Jack's pants wasn't diminishing as the combination of his clothing and Pitch's body heat only made Jack harder. It was difficult to hold back after not being touched like this, well, ever. He tried to shift around so his still erect cock wouldn't press up against Pitch's hips, but his efforts proved in vain when he saw Pitch's face go from calm resolve to a dark smirk.

"Did I do more damage than I thought?"

Jack refused to acknowledge Pitch's snide comment as his eyes squeezed shut and his body shook. Jack threw his head from side to side, refusing to look at Pitch. He didn't want Pitch to see the horrible shame in his eyes at his body's reaction. He didn't want tears to spill out because he most likely just ruined everything between them. He couldn't want Pitch like that it was so wrong but Jack couldn't help it and Pitch was probably just disgusted with him again.

Jack felt Pitch lean forward to Jack. The action caused Jack's erection to press harder against Pitch, fabric rubbing against his sensitive skin. Jack bit his lip to suppress the moan threatening to escape. It felt so good. He felt like exploding, but Pitch would just hate him more.

"Let's see what I can do to repair this damage, yes?" Jack almost didn't hear Pitch's smooth voice in his ear as shadows surrounded the two. In any normal situation Jack would've been terrified, but as darkness closed around him, Jack felt confused. His eyes widened at Pitch when the shadows disappeared and they had been wound up on top of a bed. They weren't standing; rather Pitch had shifted them so Jack was lying underneath Pitch. Pitch wanted this to go further? He wasn't put off by Jack?

Jack didn't know whether to feel relief or fear.

Jack's heart hammered in his chest, realizing where this was going. Pitch had Jack pinned, he couldn't move save for arching his back. Jack looked frantically from side to side, feeling more like a wild bird in a cage as his heart beat rapidly in his chest.

Jack shook his head, his eyes still shut tight. This was too soon, too much happening in so little time. How could Jack's body betray him like this it was all turning out so horribly wrong and he had let it get to this why did he want Pitch so much why couldn't he keep his hormones in check why why why.

"N...no..." Jack wasn't entirely sure that voice belonged to him.

Jack felt the arms around his waist move out from under him in his panic, a brief moment of freedom before his head was forcibly held in place by Pitch's hands. They covered the growing color in Jack's face, and kept him slightly warm enough to make Jack squirm in discomfort.

Jack opened his eyes, knowing it was what Pitch wanted. Tears threatened to spill over onto his face, but he kept control this time. Pitch couldn't see him cry again. Pitch's gaze was shifting, as if unsure where to settle. Maybe he was going through a whole dialogue with his mind. The gold tint held so many different tones, and it continually shifted like Sandy's dream sand. His eyes faded from confused to worried to sympathetic to angry, then back to confused and finally settled on his usual distant and hard stare. Jack's hormone control finally kicked in. Fear took over.

Jack knew he looked terrified underneath Pitch. The fear running through his veins was like a stab to the heart, distinct and painful. He knew Pitch could pick up on it, and know exactly what he was fearing, but Pitch made no remark or acknowledgement. The icy cold that had once subsided in Jack's pants twitched with life when Pitch moved himself up to be more level with Jack's.

"Do you want me to stop?" Pitch spoke hardly above a whisper.

Jack was torn. There was hurt in Pitch's tone, matched with his confusion. Jack wanted nothing more than for Pitch to overload his senses, killing his thoughts and taking him to a place he'd never be able to return from. Jack didn't - couldn't - hide the fact that Pitch had turned him on like nothing had before...But it was all still so wrong. Conniving with the enemy wasn't bad enough, he had to be fantasizing about and be attracted to Pitch.

All of this was going against Jack's inner feelings of Guardianship. He was being torn in half by his duties to the Guardians and his own desire. He had to make a decision or he'd be alone again.

Pitch must've sensed the spike in Jack's fear because he rolled off of Jack and sat up, swinging his legs around the side of the bed.

"Your silence says enough." Pitch straightened his cloak and smoothed down his hair. The pain in his voice was unmistakable that time, and Jack's heart twisted something fierce. He had left Pitch alone, again. No explanation, no words to clarify his reasoning. It nearly caused Jack physical pain to see Pitch's sorrowful expression.

His mind finally unraveled the knots of confusion twisting around Jack's head. The Guardians would never understand, never quite grasp what Jack was so desperately clinging to. He did have certain responsibilities to attend to, but that didn't mean he couldn't be with Pitch at the same time. The Guardians would probably hate him for siding with Pitch, but they were always so harsh and sudden in their actions. But he'd rather be with Pitch for a few brief moments than to never know what it's like to be understood, cared for, wanted.

Pitch had begun to stand when Jack flipped himself over and reached for Pitch on his knees and wrapped his arms around Pitch's shoulders. Jack felt Pitch's back stiffen at the touch, but Jack paid no mind as he moved his head towards Pitch's ear.

"Don't...don't stop..." Jack forced the words out and felt his face go colder.

He didn't resist or fight back when Pitch quickly turned around, grabbed Jack's hands and forced Jack onto his back. Pitch held Jack's hands above his head, making his jacket ride up around his stomach. Pitch straddled the top of Jack's legs with his knees to restrain him then leaned forward so his and Jack's faces were close enough to feel the heat and cold radiating off of them.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Pitch teased Jack by running his free hand across the patch of exposed skin. It made Jack shiver with his hands so close to his pants line.

Jack couldn't form full sentences in his mind with the way Pitch trailed his fingers up into Jack's shirt, making Jack's dick twitch.

"You...heard me."

Pitch's face became dark and suddenly angered. His hand tightened painfully around Jack's wrists and shadows crept menacingly from the corners of the room.

"Don't toy with me, Frost," Pitch said not taking his face a single inch away from Jack's.

Remaining silent, Jack stared at Pitch, his habitual breathing the only noise in the room. He didn't know how to answer Pitch, he wouldn't be believed if he refuted the idea. Jack only laid back with his mouth slightly parted, hoping his expression conveyed an intense need for...he wasn't sure. He hoped Pitch picked up that he was the only one who read Jack like an open book, and that he was the only one who could possibly be doing these things to Jack. Moments passed by in agony.

Pitch's glare softened to one of understanding. Jack kept his eyes open but lost focus of Pitch when he swiftly leaned in closer and kissed Jack full on the mouth. It was still a shock, but this kiss seemed to have feelings behind it. The way his lips pressed against Jack's was caring and non-intrusive, very odd for Pitch, but Jack kissed back the same.

Jack thought he saw a smile pull at Pitch's lips when he pulled away, but it was over too quickly before it turned to a dark smirk. For the third time, Jack was caught off guard by Pitch's lips attacking his own. Pitch slipped his tongue into Jack's mouth and Jack's eyes fluttered shut. He felt Pitch's grip on his wrists become tighter as Pitch deepened the kiss and pushed against him. The hand that was resting under Jack's shirt moved down and kept going till it brushed over Jack's erection. The touch was light and teasing but still caused Jack to moan against Pitch's mouth.

Pitch's smirk grew wide and his eyes lit up as he broke the kiss. "You've never been touched like this, have you?"

Jack's face went a darker shade of red and he glared at Pitch. "Sh-shut up yes I have."

Pitch chuckled darkly as he ran his hand firmly against Jack's groin causing Jack to buck his hips and gasp. "Oh I don't think so Jack. You're responding with such...innocence."

Jack scowled at Pitch's disbelief. He wasn't lying.

Jack had been with other spirits. Forest sprites, wood nymphs, even a river spirit, but that didn't last long. The short flings meant nothing though. A meaningless kiss leading to fondling leading to fucking in the woods. It didn't bother Jack when he woke up and they had disappeared, didn't bother him that they forgot. He just craved the touch of another, but it wasn't ever enough. Jack eventually gave up flings almost as soon as they started.

But Pitch...Pitch was a whole different beast.

"I've been with...other people...be-before you."

Pitch stopped his teasing and Jack felt him stop dead. "What?" Pitch said.

"This isn't my first time doing anything. But-" Jack hissed as Pitch's nails dug into his wrists. "But this is my first time actually feeling something for it."

Jack felt his cheeks almost burn with cold at the confession, but Pitch asked for no explanation as he licked up Jack's neck. Jack felt the hand on his wrists loosen then come free. Pitch's hands grabbed the bottom of his jacket and pulled it off. Jack let the jacket slip off with ease and Pitch discarded it to the floor before swooping back down to crush his lips against Jack's.

Jack's hands left their place above his head and found their way to the back of Pitch's head to entangle in his hair. Pitch moved his weight off of Jack's legs and threw his robe as Jack fought for dominance in his mouth. Pitch's hand cupped Jack's neck and the other stroked his dick through his pants. Jack moaned against Pitch, his breathing short and frantic, his hips bucking in want. Pitch teased with slow movements and Jack only groaned louder in response when Pitch shifted his weight slightly to the side and Jack felt Pitch's own hardened member press against his hip.

Jack wanted this so bad, Pitch was teasing his cock with light touches through his pants and Jack felt borderline tortured by how much Pitch wasn't giving him. He gave short breathy sighs bordering on cries as Pitch continued his slow stroking.

Pitch pulled his face away and moved it down to Jack's neck. Pitch's lips lightly ran a straight line down Jack's neck before finding a spot to bite close to his shoulder. Teeth bit into pale skin and Jack pulled at Pitch's hair. He wanted Pitch now.

"Pitch...-Ah! Please..." Jack's hips rolled underneath Pitch's hand when his thumb ran circles over the tip of his dick.

"Please what Jack?" Jack could hear Pitch's heavy breathing in his ear.

Despite the small joy it brought Jack to know Pitch was hot and bothered as well, he still had to force out the next words, and the red returned to his face.

"I want you to touch it..." Not exactly the most graceful way to say it, but he wasn't going for subtlety. Jack let out a contented sigh as Pitch pulled down Jack's pants giving his dick enough room to be free.

Pitch's hand almost burned against Jack's skin as Pitch wrapped his hand around Jack's dick. Frost laced along Pitch's hand as he stroked Jack, slow but firm, the other arm being used to prop himself up.

Jack felt himself sinking into the feelings and sensations. He hardly knew which way was up. Everything was fuzzy and amazing and it was all Pitch's doing. Jack's reality was slowly being unraveled before him because of Pitch, and Jack didn't care as long as he was with Pitch.

Jack's breathing became frantic as he came closer and closer to coming, tears forming at the edges of his eyes and his heart pounding in his chest. Pitch kissed him roughly, lustfully, biting at Jack's lower lip then thrusting his tongue into Jack's mouth as he stroked Jack's dick faster.

Jack gasped then cried out as his orgasm ripped through him, his hips lifting up against Pitch's as he came. Pitch's warm hand never left Jack's cock, but stilled as soon as Jack came, remaining there till Jack spiraled down. Jack's vision slowly returned to focus, Pitch's golden eyes above him the only thing keeping Jack from jetting off into another branch of reality. The gold and silver pierced the surrounding darkness, a light at the end of a long twisted tunnel.

Jack's hands clenched in Pitch's hair and his breathing became heavy but slower.

Pitch smirked as Jack realized he had been staring. "Good?" Jack could practically see the arrogance emanating off of Pitch. Jack couldn't stand for that.

Jack started. "Yeah, but..." and Pitch's face fell. Pushing aside his tiredness and taking the advantage, Jack grabbed Pitch's shoulders and rolled the both of them over so Jack was now pinning Pitch down on the large bed.

"But I think it's your turn now," Jack murmured above Pitch. Pitch's eyes widened and he blinked several times in confusion. Where had this Jack come from and what could Pitch do to get him to stay forever? Pitch let his pants fade away into the shadows, and Jack smiled when he saw Pitch was completely hard. A pang of guilt hit him when he realized Pitch had probably been dying to get off earlier. Jack was going to make up that little mistake to him.

"Sit up and shut up," Jack ordered. Too in shock to protest, Pitch did as he was told, scooting out from underneath Jack and leaning against the headboard of the bed. Jack crawled the short distance so his head was level with Pitch's hips. Hooking his arms around Pitch's bent legs Jack quickly got to work.

Jack heard Pitch gasp as Jack slowly licked up his cock from base to tip. He took Pitch into his mouth, enjoying the taste, the feel.

Jack swallowed Pitch down and Pitch moaned as Jack sucked hard on his dick. Bobbing his head Jack remembered distant experiences, flings. He knew he was good at this, and Pitch digging his nails into Jack's scalp told Jack he had not lost his touch. Although the past experiences were distant in Jack's memory, his body responded and acted as if one had happened not but yesterday.

Jack kept his arms pressed into Pitch's hips as Pitch bucked his hips and moaned. Jack felt the slick heat in his mouth slide along his tongue as Pitch tensed beneath him. Jack continued moving his mouth all the way down and almost completely back off of Pitch's dick, earning moaning from the voice above.

Jack tasted precome in his mouth, knowing Pitch was close. He looked up out of curiosity. Jack always wanted feedback on his work. Pitch was staring back down at him, a look with layers of fascination and half-lidded want etched into Pitch's eyes. Jack hummed softly causing vibrations to go up Pitch's groin, not breaking eye contact with him. Pitch's eyes widened and he shivered beneath Jack. trying to buck his hips in want but being held down by Jack's arms. Jack felt Pitch's bony fingers in his hair tense and pull, and Pitch hissed as he released into Jack's mouth. Jack stopped humming and reveled in the current calm overflowing his senses. He loved knowing he had brought the Nightmare King down into a darker place than both of them imagined as he swallowed down the familiar taste.

Jack sat back on his heels and looked up at Pitch. Pitch was staring at the ceiling in a state of shock, his chest rose and fell quickly and he was covered in a light sheen of sweat. Jack grabbed Pitch's wrists and removed the limp hands from his hair, and sat back on the bed.

Pitch looked completely undone, as if Jack had pulled the loose string on a doll and the cotton stuffing had fallen everywhere. Jack probably didn't look much better, his own come splattered over both their stomachs, bite marks covering his neck and shoulders.

Jack didn't know what to do with himself. Did he leave the room? Did he sit there and wait? He sat silently at the edge of the bed while Pitch spiraled down and his breathing evened. Jack didn't think the Nightmare King was much for cuddling, but Jack wanted very much to just curl up into those arms, feel Pitch's warmth surround him and lose his mind in the shadows of the room.

To Jack's surprise, Pitch gestured with one hand for Jack to join him. Jack crawled up into Pitch's outstretched arms and rested his head on Pitch's shoulder and laid an arm across Pitch's stomach. Pitch wordlessly wrapped his arms around Jack and he smiled as he felt Pitch tenderly kiss his forehead.

The emotional turmoil and events of the past few hours were beginning to weigh down on Jack. His eyelids became heavy and Pitch's thumb rubbing slowly against his arm was not helping. Jack yawned and Pitch chuckled, his laugh smooth and rich. His voice was soft as he spoke to Jack.

"Don't stay awake on my account."

Jack felt a pang of fear course like hot water through his veins. The previous notion he had pushed off had returned. What if Pitch wasn't there when he woke up? What if he woke up in the middle of nowhere with nothing but cruel laughter and shame being thrown at him? Jack shook his head.

Jack couldn't see Pitch frown above him, but he did feel the arms around him tighten and Pitch's cheek rest on the top of his head.

"I'm not going anywhere," Pitch said, his voice deep. It was comforting to hear him talk without malice or threat. Jack would love to listen to that voice forever.

Jack settled into Pitch's chest and his fears were calmed as long fingers entwined themselves in his hair. It was like their meeting in the ocean; calm, comforting, not exactly peaceful but it was enough to make Jack yawn again. Everything about this was wrong, perverted, a mockery of what Jack was a guardian. But as Pitch held him tightly, Jack's mind only registered that this was something that nobody else could do. Not the sex, but the comfort, the understanding, that could only be provided by Pitch.

Everything was a mess in his mind, and problems loomed on the horizon, but Jack ignored it and slipped into unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack lay on his back on the cold tile floor with his eyes closed. The warm room had him melting, figuratively and literally, but he had no other way to shower and clean off. Any water that touched him would freeze on his skin and coat him in a layer of ice that would have to be scraped off. So Jack figured with constant swirling steam, it wouldn't settle enough to freeze. Hopefully. Jack would rather sit naked in a warm room for a while than have to sit through a shower for five minutes.

Water dripped down Jack's body, soaking his hair and running thin lines down his torso. It made him think of the night before. Although the immediate evidence had faded from Jack's body, the bite marks on his neck, the bruises on his lips and the scratch marks on his scalp wouldn't fade for several days. But he wasn't complaining.

Jack felt his body becoming heavy and dense as he thought more and more, played every detail of the night back in his mind. He was embarrassed at his lack of control over the situation, the way he'd been unable to speak, unable to respond, unable to do anything but moan like a virgin at Pitch's touch, the whole experience had him mentally and physically overwhelmed.

Jack couldn't deal with being as submissive as that again, he'd need to be forceful if there was a next time. He smirked to himself at the thought of Pitch thrashing underneath him as he sucked him off. He'd have to do that again to get his pride back and the thought mildly turned him on.

The memories weighed heavily as he rubbed a spot Pitch had bit harder than the rest and hissed at the pain. It shot through his body from his neck and sent a shiver up his spine, and he didn't notice as the room grew slightly darker with shadows.

"Something wrong?" Pitch's voice cut through the silence, deep and soothing. Jack opened one eye and looked at the bare form standing to his left. Pitch wasn't as thin as Jack thought he was. Pitch was lithe and muscular and toned, more of a swimmer's build than anything else.

The steam occupying the room distorted the dark figure above him, but Jack knew Pitch could see his hand pressed to the mark.

"It hurts," Jack said rubbing his neck. Pitch sat on the floor next to Jack, pulling Jack to a sitting position by his arms. Pitch wrapped his arms possessively around Jack's middle and Jack shivered as Pitch licked his neck.

"It's a good hurt though" Pitch muttered against Jack's neck as a half question, half statement as if testing the waters to Jack's reaction.

Jack nodded in response and melted forward into Pitch's chest. Pitch's arms tightened around Jack, one arm bent so Pitch's fingers could play with Jack's hair, the other wrapped like a constricting vine around his middle. Pitch bit Jack's neck close to his jaw and Jack shivered again as the long fingers previously resting on the back of his head tugged. The bites and bruises and scratches from the previous night tingled like spider webs in memoriam, sending shivers up Jack's spine.

Pitch was overwhelming Jack's senses again. Everything was going numb but lighting up with feeling at the same time. Jack was deep underwater, yet open and exposed to the harsh elements. It was amazing to be exposed to Pitch like this, exhilarating and yet so terrifying it twisted Jack's stomach. Pitch could easily manipulate him, bring him down into a dark abyss where Jack would never see the light of day again.

Jack's arms quickly went around Pitch's neck and pulled him closer as Pitch bit up his neck. He didn't quite trust Pitch not to bring him into that abyss, but at least he could bring down Pitch with him in the process.

Pitch kissed Jack hard on the lips, the urgency clearing Jack's mind. Both their tongues intertwined in the heated contact, and Jack felt himself get even harder. He moaned low against Pitch's lips and Pitch broke away, ignoring Jack's slight pout.

The heat of the room and Pitch being so close had Jack squirming uncomfortably, and he hadn't noticed. Jack had been paying more attention to his growing arousal, his fast breathing and the intense heat making his body melt. He hadn't noticed Pitch had a smirk plastered across his face.

"Can't handle the heat?" Pitch said softly and nibbled at Jack's earlobe. Jack's dick ached from the touch that was hardly a whisper against his sensitive skin.

"I can handle you just fine."

Pitch's arms wrapped tighter around Jack's middle, the hand pulled at his hair, and the hand wrapped around his side turned to nails grasping desperately at Jack's back. Pitch's nails dug into Jack's scalp, wanting more and getting more. Jack liked the sensation of being obsessed over, fuck he loved it. Pitch just couldn't get enough of him.

Jack tilted his head back and moaned as Pitch bit the base of his neck. Pitch's teeth scraped along his skin and he just kept that damn smirk on his face.

"The sounds you make are intoxicating," Pitch groaned against Jack. Pitch's nails dragged lightly down Jack's shoulder blade and Jack's face dusted pink, the cold growing in his face a comfort in the heat. He was embarrassed that he liked the pain, the darkness, the whole taboo nature of Pitch Black.

"I blame you," Jack responded.

Pitch growled in response and his possessiveness was highlighted again as Jack's hair was pulled at with hunger. He shook off his thoughts pulling Pitch into a heated kiss moving his arms from Pitch's neck to underneath his arms to his back.

Jack shoved his tongue into Pitch's mouth letting his mind go numb. There was no room for thoughts anymore and everything was just raw need in Jack's head. He needed to be touched be kissed be bitten be held until he bruised be allowed that sweet release his dick burned for he needed Pitch and he needed it all at the same time.

Pitch fought against Jack for dominance in his mouth, pushing back. Pitch tugged hard on Jack's hair and Jack moaned, his toes curling and leg muscles tensing in pleasure. Wasn't he trying to clean off, not get dirtier? Hell, it's not like he was going anywhere any time soon, he could clean off later. But the heat in the room only grew, and Jack couldn't take it anymore.

Pitch growled low in his throat like a predatory animal when Jack broke the kiss, and Jack's laugh at Pitch quickly turned into a breathy moan as nails scraped against his scalp and pulled his hair. Jack's cock twitched at the sharp pain but he managed to get a few words out.

"It's too hot...I'm dying in here." Jack breathed more than said as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on Pitch's collarbone. Jack's breathing was labored, partly from Pitch, but the heat of the room was a drain on his energy as well. The only thing Jack took notice of was that Pitch was completely hard as well. Jack smirked; what a great feeling knowing the pleasure wasn't one sided.

Jack heard Pitch sigh in annoyance and shake his head, telling Jack he wanted to stay. Well, if Pitch didn't want to move, Jack would have to coax him into doing what he wanted.

Jack pushed aside the lethargy and grabbed Pitch's ribcage right underneath the shoulder blade with his left hand. Jack ran the pad of his thumb in several light teasing circles over Pitch's nipple then slowly dragged his other nails down Pitch's back.

"This heat is unbearable," Jack tried talking as evenly and smoothly as possible. He felt his voice was coaxing enough at the choked gasp Pitch made, but he needed Pitch completely on board to get him to leave and not just push him to the floor.

Jack's white fingers trailed like feathers against Pitch's gray skin, down to trace the outline of Pitch's hipbone and finally inwards to grasp at Pitch's hardened cock.

Jack smirked when Pitch sharply inhaled, and licked his lips at the moan emanating from Pitch's throat as Jack ran his thumb up the bottom of Pitch's dick going to trace slow circles around the tip.

Pitch's fingers tightened in Jack's hair and nails dug into his back and Jack felt every single one of Pitch's muscles tense. His breathing hitched against Jack's head and Jack bit harshly on Pitch's shoulder. He contrasted the bite by tracing his lips up Pitch's neck and slowly started stroking Pitch. "C'mon..." Jack murmured.

Jack felt Pitch was convinced as the shadows shifted and writhed around him, but no moves were being made. Maybe he had to threaten now.

He slowly licked up Pitch's neck, still teasingly stroking Pitch's cock, and brushed his lips against his ear to whisper, "I could take my time. Make everything slow so you feel every sensation, every bite lick and claw, hear all my gasps, my moans that are all because of you." Pitch's short gasps for air were enough to drive Jack crazy but the best thing was the soft whimpering coming from Pitch's lips. Jack could hear Pitch trying to contain them, but some would find their way out and into the open. Pitch had lost his control over Jack, and completely submitted to the spirit's will. Jack had won his dominance.

Jack pulled away completely. His hands, arms, everything so he was no longer touching Pitch. Jack pulled away quickly enough to catch a glimpse of the euphoric look of ecstasy on Pitch's face before it snapped to shocked disbelief.

Jack smirked, "If we don't leave I could just stop now and leave on my own to get out of this heat." Not something he wanted to do, but the room was like a constricting box. Jack was short of breath and covered in water, it felt like something was sitting on him, crushing him under a huge weight.

Pitch gave Jack no warning when Pitch pulled Jack's wrists forward to bring him into a heated kiss and the shadows melted around him. Jack almost pulled away but Pitch held him hard and close, falling backwards. Jack expected to hit the floor but was shocked when Pitch pulled him into the shadows underneath them and they went in through the shadows. Teeth gnashed together and tongues fought against each other as Jack was pulled backwards and fell through the shadows and onto the floor of a darkened room.

It was cool and the air was circulating from a fan above, perfect for Jack. He couldn't see much though, there was only a dim light coming from a candle on a nightstand on the opposite side of the room.

Jack did know he was laying on top of Pitch now, his legs resting between Pitch's. He kept his lips against Pitch, the kiss spiraling down from its heated beginning and moving into something calm and almost soothing.

Jack had to break the kiss to move to a more comfortable position, which gave Pitch a chance to glower up at Jack.

"You're a fucking tease," Pitch grumbled.

"You're no better," Jack teased in response as a dangerous smirk grew on his face.

"I didn't manipulate you into leaving the room."

Jack propped himself up on his hands and the both of them moaned as his hips pushed against Pitch's. While nimbly balanced on his hands Jack moved so his knees were on either side of Pitch's hips straddling them.

"You could've refused."

Pitch quickly grabbed Jack's hair with one hand and pulled him down, biting Jack's neck hard enough to break the skin. Jack's cry of pain faded into a moan from both of them as their cocks rubbed together when Jack was pulled forward. Pitch yanked fiercely at Jack's hair while his other free hand snaked down to cup Jack's ass, licking the blood from Jack's skin.

Jack felt Pitch's warm skin brush up against his ear as he muttered, "I couldn't refuse you even if I wanted to."

Jack felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. That was an unexpected response indeed. It had so many implications hiding behind the cracks. Even though Pitch most likely meant it in a strictly physical sense, Jack couldn't help but feel cherished at the thought. Although he was out of the other room, out of the heat, the intensity of the moment still made Jack feel like he couldn't breathe.

Pitch's hand left Jack's hair as Jack lifted his head to kiss Pitch again. The hand fell down to caress Jack's jawline, and before Jack could pull Pitch in for another make out, he felt Pitch's fingers on his lips, pressing slightly. They were warm and rough against his smooth lips, slightly calloused from the eons Pitch had spent roaming the earth. He didn't need to be told what to do.

Jack didn't hesitate to pull the digits into his mouth, sucking on them and licking them like he would Pitch's cock. Pitch moaned softly underneath him then muttered about the cold. The hand that groped Jack's ass tightened as Jack made sure to coat each of Pitch's fingers with saliva.

Pitch pulled his hand out of Jack's mouth, and his eyes flashed hungrily in the darkness. The familiar gold instantly embedded in Jack's memory, and he memorized every detail. The look was filled with distorted layers like the cracked ice of an ancient glacier, inner thoughts and desires filled the crevices than ran deep into the structure, the whole thing encompassed by a dusting of want on the top. It almost made Jack's heart stop.

Jack hissed sharply when Pitch's finger entered him, pressing his face into Pitch's shoulder. Every nerve in Jack's body screamed for another. Pitch's teeth sunk into Jack's neck and the slow pace Pitch's finger thrusted in and out of Jack caused him to moan out Pitch's name.

But Pitch was agonizingly slow. Not as if he was being careful, more as if he wanted Jack to beg, to submit to the total control Pitch had over him. Pitch had lost his control over Jack earlier, he needed it back. What the hell, Jack gave in. He wouldn't get what he wanted by resisting.

"Another..." Jack moaned in Pitch's ear.

Pitch slid in the next digit into Jack with ease, Jack losing himself in the pain and pleasure as Pitch scissored his fingers inside Jack stretching him out.

Jack breathed as deep as he could, taking unnecessary air into his lungs in an attempt to relax. It had been a while, several decades in fact, since anything relatively close to this had happened to Jack.

Pitch was thrusting in Jack up to the knuckles each time, stretching Jack out with his spread fingers causing moans to roll off Jack's tongue. The pleasure built in his dick, the warm tantalizing feeling spreading up his back and down the backs of his legs. This wasn't an uncomfortable warm though; Jack could do everything but soak himself in the feeling.

Pitch pulled his fingers away, leaving Jack a panting mess. His blue eyes went wild, meeting golden ones fierce with craving.

"Ride me," Pitch growled beneath Jack.

Jack didn't have time to ponder on the thought before his body reacted by crawling on his hands to kneel above Pitch on his knees. Pitch's hand slipped from Jack's hair to grasp at his hip, the other held his erect member. Jack didn't know what to do with his hands, he grasped at his hair trying to make sense of this whole situation as he lowered himself onto Pitch. Pitch's cock slid in with ease, he probably coated himself in the remnants of Jack's saliva when Jack hadn't noticed, but that didn't help the painful stretch it gave Jack as he lowered his hips further onto Pitch's cock. Tears formed and threatened to spill at the corners of Jack's eyes as he pulled at his hair. The pleasure and pain of getting so intimate, so quickly, getting so deeply involved with the man he was supposed to hate, even the way Pitch moved the hand on his cock to Jack's and stroked him slowly, it made Jack's whole world spin and collapse. Pitch moaned beneath Jack as he fell forward and caught himself on his hands, changing the angle of his body.

Pitch was persistent in stroking Jack, keeping his touch light and riding a thin edge between pleasure and annoyance. It made Jack want to beg more, and in this regard, Jack could only beg in one way.

Breathing hard, Jack started to move his hips on top of Pitch's, going all the way up and back down at his own maddeningly slow but steady pace. Pitch groaned underneath him and the nails on Jack's hip dug into his skin, the hand jerking him off moved to match Jack's pace. Jack ignored the pain of the stretch inside him, focusing instead on the long fingers wrapped around his cock.

Jack picked up the pace of his hips, every movement down brushing against his prostate and causing stars to form in his eyes. Pitch arched his back underneath Jack, inhaling sharply and bucking his hips up to meet Jack's.

"Fuck..." Jack moaned above Pitch as he continued speeding up, Pitch keeping the tempo perfect with his hips and hand. Cold sweat dripped down Jack's body and both their breaths came in short gasps. Jack's blue eyes met with Pitch's golden orbs and neither of them could find the strength to look away. Pitch's eyes flashed silver in the candlelight as he ran the top of his thumb over the head of Jack's dick, dipping his finger into the slit on top leaking precome and pulling Jack so close to orgasm he was completely on edge. Jack shuddered at the action god it felt astonishingly good between Pitch's dick moving in and out of his ass and the reactions Pitch was giving him but Jack wouldn't let something like that go unnoticed. Jack rolled his hips on top of Pitch causing the Nightmare King to hiss loudly and break his eye contact with Jack as they screwed shut.

Jack sped up his hips again as Pitch matched and it only took several more thrusts down before Jack's orgasm tore through his mind as he cried out. Jack slammed his hips down on Pitch causing the other to groan. Jack felt Pitch's hips lift against his weight and saw all his muscles tense as he rode out his orgasm. Jack bit his lip against the sharp nails digging into his side as he waited for Pitch to spiral down.

The room went silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the Guardian of Fun and the Nightmare King. Jack pulled himself off of Pitch and rolled lazily to his back on Pitch's left side. Jack turned his head to face Pitch, Pitch having already been staring at Jack.

The dim light reflected off of Pitch's face and bold shadows formed straight lines that ran the length of Pitch's body, although his golden eyes stood out against the shadows. They once again somehow pulled Jack in and encompassed him in a blanket woven from understanding and concern and the type of caring that only kindred spirits could have.

Jack rolled on his side and nestled his head against Pitch's shoulder. A lithe arm wrapped around Jack and the line of warmth almost burned against his icy skin as if it would crack under the heat. Jack knew he was with the one being he trusted, the one person who understood him; Jack would tolerate the heat for Pitch. Jack slid his knee up Pitch's leg and yawned. Jack felt Pitch's fingers rub smooth circles along the back of his head.

Jack looked up to Pitch staring down at him, shadows cutting lines into his face and eyes burning through to Jack's core like always. They shimmered in the flickering light, the remnants of a burning fire now reduced to glowing embers contrasted against the complete blackness surrounding the two of them. Jack wanted to say so many things, so many emotions to express, so many thoughts clouded his mind it made his head spin. Jack took a deep breath as Pitch held him close enough that Jack could meld into the form.

Jack yawned. The pressure of everything on his mind hadn't quite lifted; the crushing weight of worry and the horrible scent of rejection and defeat and fear had all but disappeared. But at that moment, all he needed was Pitch.

Sleep crept up on Jack as he sat in Pitch's embrace, the even rise and fall of Pitch's chest was enough to drag Jack into the throes of a dreamless slumber.

The following days that turned into weeks were mostly Jack getting used to the shadows. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, his senses heightened to the night, his feet became accustomed to the shifting halls of the lair.

Jack fell into a routine chaos, creating frost on the black walls, giving stark contrast to the darkened state of the lair. Frost and snow were constantly adorning the cages, the walls and the ceiling. Pitch always watched Jack with curiosity, but held no protest to his actions, even when Jack ripped open a hole in the roof one day to let more light in. Jack danced along the halls spreading his frost with an echoing laugh throughout the lair and cheery disposition lighting up the main hall. The wind whistling through the corridors made more noise than Jack's light footed steps as he explored, discovered, and stretched his knowledge all about Pitch's domain.

Jack enjoyed the times when Pitch was inside, the Moon's light too bright or the day time too much to handle going outside. Pitch was always reading to Jack's surprise. He didn't really pin the King of Nightmares as a calm being who would sit down on the floor and read. But Jack didn't exactly mind when he'd sit next to Pitch on the floor, resting his head against the other's shoulder as he read. An arm would wrap around Jack's shoulder, holding tight and protective.

Occasionally Jack would lean up for an innocent kiss on the neck, smirking as a light blush tinted Pitch's cheeks. The smirk would quickly fade as the kiss would be reciprocated on his lips with something harder, heavier, rushed and hungry. Pitch would respond with such ferocity it knocked Jack backwards the first few times, although Pitch never broke the kiss. They'd fall back into a mess of tangled limbs that Jack would have to sort through to make sure he was wrapping himself around Pitch correctly all the while the kiss between them becoming heated and full of want.

Pitch could never seem to get enough of Jack with the weeks Jack spent flitting between shadows and places of light. Jack always felt the watchful gaze upon him, not in scrutiny but more in curious contempt. He didn't like to admit it, but Pitch constantly watching him made that same feeling of possessiveness that Pitch displayed nag at the back of Jack's mind. It made him never want to leave this place.

Although Jack knew he'd have to leave eventually, for now, he was completely at home in the darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

North's castle towered like a mountain overhead, terrifyingly intimidating. Jack's stomach fluttered nervously as he gripped his sides. This was a crazy idea, but he couldn't think of a better plan to make amends. Jack had been drumming his finger on his staff in anticipation the entire flight there, and now that he had landed in the compacted snow, his fingers had stilled and his hands were now clenched tightly around the wood as his mind raced.

This was so insane and Pitch was being stupid and Jack cursed himself for agreeing to the plan oh how he wished he could just turn around and go fly along the breeze for a while then go back and be with Pitch for the rest of eternity. But no, Jack's stupid conscience had to eat away at the back of his mind. It interfered with time spent with Pitch as the guilt made his rationality slowly deteriorate. Damn his guilt.

"You need to go make it up to them. You're going crazy otherwise," Pitch had said earlier that day.

"But I'm lying to them," Jack responded, rolling on the floor to face Pitch.

Pitch had turned his head to the side, giving Jack that blank stare that infuriated him. It was that stare he couldn't even begin to read. "Do you have any better ideas? Please share with the class," Pitch inquired.

Jack had swung his leg over Pitch's hips, straddling the Nightmare King using his arms to brace himself. Jack leaned down to nip up Pitch's neck, reveling in the soft moan it received.

"We could stay here," Jack murmured between bites. "Never have to deal with it the problem, just get lost in each other."

"Tempting...tempting," Pitch responded, and Jack felt a hand find his hair and smirked when Pitch pulled. God that felt good.

"But I'll have to decline…for now. You need to clear your conscience Jack, not run from it."

Jack huffed and his face formed a pout. He rolled off of Pitch and sighed at his futile attempt at seduction.

"Fine."

Now that Jack stood in front of North's workshop, the reality of the situation slowly dawned upon him. The building pressure in his stomach turned into a full on weight that dragged him down into a pool of guilt.

Jack held his breath and pushed open the large wooden double doors, then walked inside. The workshop was relatively calm, but calm for the workshop was busy for anyone else. Yetis bustled around, carrying unfinished toys, paints, tools and wrapping paper to all places. The elves sat in a corner, tinkering with cookies, but mostly eating them.

Jack wandered around the workshop floor, staff held loosely in his hands behind his back. The guilt weighed even heavier on his shoulders and the pit in his stomach grew. He couldn't bring himself to face this outright lie, but it was necessary. At least that's what Jack told himself as he went over the excuse for the hundredth time in his head. He recited the lines, over and over like a broken record on repeat. The Guardians cared about him, and would want to know if he was alright. He had to give them _something_.

Jack was cut out of his mental musings by a booming voice.

"Jack! You have returned! Good! I almost had to send out yetis!"

North's voice boomed behind Jack, full of happy surprise. Jack's face naturally twisted into a smile when he spun around to the source of the voice walking swiftly towards him. Jack hadn't seen North in weeks, and the sight of the large man automatically made his heart swell with happiness.

Jack leaned on his staff. "I think I learned my lesson when they got me the first time," he laughed.

"Good, good! So tell me Jack, what are you doing here? Guardians have been looking for you!"

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground, avoiding North's concerned gaze.

"Well...I was with Pitch-wait not like that not like that!" Jack waved his arms in the air when North crossed his arms and glared at Jack. "I was being controlled- I mean, he was controlling me, to - uh - stay in his lair. I had...no other choice...it was...some sort of...mind control...?"

Jack kicked himself for trailing off, still avoiding North's gaze. Even if Jack did feel warm and welcomed in the workshop, it only made his guilt worsen.

Jack's guilt almost disappeared when North rested a hand on top of Jack's head and mussed with his hair. North's laughter boomed around the workshop, and Jack felt more warmth creep into his skin. North was almost like a father figure, even with the way he treated Jack more like a pet and less like a person. It made Jack think he was more someone to be looked after and fed, to be called upon then disappear when he wasn't wanted. Pitch's words of the Guardians using Jack instantly echoed in his head and reverberated through his nerves down to his core. He was reminded of the loneliness and years of being ignored. Suddenly the pit in Jack's stomach about lying didn't feel so heavy.

North's hand left his head, not helping Jack's feeling of being a pet, when North gripped Jack's shoulders. The extreme joy in North's eyes had lessened slightly, replaced by a distracted trance.

"Good to see you are now well Jack! Do not be running off again!"

Jack nodded with a smile, covering up the annoyance that North ignored his reason. "Sure thing North...And uh, let the others know I'm okay."

North's booming laugh started up again, and Jack only had to force half his smile and a small chuckle. "Okay Jack, good to know you are okay! Thank you for stopping by!" North took his hands off Jack's shoulders and turned away.

"Wait could I-" Jack started.

"Jack, I do not have time for games! I am glad you are now okay but I am busy!" North shouted back at him. Jack reached out again, but North had already turned away to shout something at several yetis. Jack blinked several times in confusion. He wanted to reach out to North and say something but the large man was already walking away, leaving Jack to the background noise of the busy workshop. He was ditched once again, leaving the winter spirit slightly peeved. Jack sighed as he was once again ignored and left for something else, thoughts falling on deaf ears.

Jack took off into the sky, leaving the workshop and heading south while his mind filled with clouds of guilt and building annoyance. He had been gone for weeks, and when he finally comes to North, North hardly pays any attention to him. It hurt to be cast aside so easily, but he still felt bad about lying. It got under his skin and boiled just under the surface. North's personality be damned! What if Jack had important news? What if he had major issues going on and North had just turned away?

Jack ground his teeth together as the wind tousled his hair. Whatever slight annoyance Jack had turned to anger and disgust. He shouldn't have gone to North, he should've gone somewhere else why did he even bother with the Guardians anymore?! Jack's grip tightened on his staff and the wood creaked underneath in protest as the wind around him carried him south and over expanses of ocean. He should be happy that North believed him. He should be happy that he could still be with Pitch. He should be glad that the Guardians stopped their search for him…if they even continued after that first day.

The wind took him over Canada, the northern territories with constant snow. He blasted ice at the mountains, made wind howl through gorges, every single morsel of his energy was focused completely on letting his anger out. It was like a faucet he couldn't turn off, endless streams of pent up frustration, sadness, emotions. He had holed it all up, kept it in until that point, but North had made him boil over. Jack yelled grabbed the sides of his face as his voice cracked from screaming. His energy seemed endless and all his pent up anger with the Guardians was practically shoveled out with the screams and blizzards he sent across the desolate mountaintops. His limbs ached as he punched walls of ice, his knuckles went raw, the muscles in his arms went numb from pain.

Jack finally settled to the ground. His body hurt, his head was a confused mess of exhaustion and sorrow, his voice raw and nearly gone from screaming nonstop.  
Jack fell into the snow he had coated onto a mountaintop, the surrounding cold refreshing and numbing and home. He curled into a fetal position, trying not to let tears fall. It was hard to keep bloated emotions inside in such a fragile shell in the cold.

Jack shut his eyes tight and sunk into the snow, leaving no prints, no marks, no hole where he fell. He simply sank into the cold and disappeared as a numbing feeling worked its way into his fingertips.

Jack hadn't noticed he had fallen asleep again, but when he opened his eyes it was dark. He had only sat down and closed his eyes for a bit, he didn't even recall dreaming. As if the Sandman would find him on the side of a mountain to bring him good dreams. Even if he didn't dream, Jack felt a thousand pounds lighter. His anger had been wiped away, and the pent up rage had disappeared. The turbulent storm brewing inside his mind had finally calmed, replaced by light winds and a chilling breeze.

Jack took a deep breath, wondering how long he had been out. Floating out of the snow, he looked up at the sky. It was breath taking; the sky was littered with stars, all forms of bright and dim, flickering against the deep blue they sat in. Jack couldn't help but stare open mouthed at the beauty of the small lights he had hated so much before, when he felt a cool breeze brush against his face. It was comforting, but also a snap back to reality. He needed to go back to Pitch, let him know he was okay.

Jack headed south, flying effortlessly over the mountaintops and across miles of endless water as thoughts drifted lazily through his mind. Mostly they turned to Pitch, and how Jack didn't have to live in paranoia that the Guardians were after either of them. Jack thought of how his life had changed in the past weeks, how he had fallen into a routine with the King of Nightmares, how he had gotten used to the constant darkness, grown accustomed and actually started to enjoy the swirling shadows of the lair. Surprisingly, Jack was okay with getting comfortable.

Jack landed in Burgess along the outskirts of the large forest, landing softly on the frozen ground with the wind at his back. A hollow resounding wind echoed throughout the trees. To anyone else it would have been eerie but to Jack he knew he was close to Pitch's lair. He was so close to…home. What a funny thing to think the place where nightmares and fear festered was a place Jack called home.

Twirling the staff from one hand to the next, Jack began to make his way into the forest, walking briskly and light-footed in the snow he made no marks in. He couldn't take the wind into the area of densely packed trees, it'd be too cramped to keep him afloat.

Jack had almost disappeared among the dark woods when he heard a familiar voice call out to him from afar.

"Jack! I've been looking everywhere for you!" The soft crunch of dirt beneath Jamie's boots grew louder as he approached. He ran straight up to Jack then stopped, nearly falling over as he braced his hands on his knees and hung his head down to catch his breath.

A grin broke over Jack's face. "Hey there kiddo! Long time no see!" Finding some shade to take refuge from the beginnings of summer heat, Jack crouched on the balls of his feet and used his staff for balance. "What're you doing way out here?"

"I saw…I saw you…" Jamie paused to take in several deep breaths; the sprint must have really taken it out of him. "I saw you fly over and…I got really excited so I…I ran all the way…from my house…to here!" The small boy stood up straight, a crooked smile taking up no less than half his face. It lit up his entire demeanor actually. "Where have you been Jack? I haven't seen you in weeks!"

Jack blinked several times and his grin grew wider when he realized Jamie actually missed him! Jamie was worried! He was looking for him! Jack laughed and shifted his weight slightly. "Well Jamie, it's gonna be summer soon, I can't stay in the heat for very long. I only come during winter."

Jack's heart almost broke when Jamie's face fell. He hated seeing the kid anything other than happy and having fun, but Jack couldn't stand the heat that came around after Easter. He was breaking out in a sweat already, and Jamie was still cold enough to be wearing long sleeves.

Jack reached out and ruffled Jamie's hair, earning another grin from the small boy that lit up his whole face. "I'll be back come Fall okay? You just gotta wait till I can make snow again."

"But what if you don't come back? What if it's winter time this year, and I don't see you anymore?" Panic crossed Jamie's face and Jack tried not to look too distressed. Jamie could very well stop believing at any moment, it was something that bothered Jack every single day since he had first been seen. Jack could very easily be turned intangible to humans again, and he'd have to start from scratch all over again.

Jack let the hand in Jamie's hair slip down to rest reassuringly on his shoulder. "Don't worry about that kiddo, you'll see me when I come back, you just have to believe."

Jamie smiled, reassured. The missing gap in his front teeth made Jack laugh. Jack stood up and twirled the staff in his hand to Jamie's amusement.

"I need to get home now, my mom's gonna be worried…" Jamie said, looking back to the direction of the town.

Jack waved him away, "I'll see you in Fall," he shouted at Jamie's retreating figure. Jack turned back to the woods as soon as Jamie was out of sight, and again began quickly walking into the woods. He was happy to see Jamie again, he hadn't seen the kid in weeks and honestly Jack was starting to miss him. He missed the snowball fights and igloo building and fun that Jamie and all his friends would have with Jack in the winter months. But he knew it had to end. At least he could come back.

Jack sighed, running the end of his staff along the ground creating frost patterns. They only stayed for a minute before melting, just a reminder Jack had to stay away for another...six months. Great. The air and sky around Jack was heating up with the rising sun, and he made every attempt to stay in the shade as much as possible, sprinting between breaks in the trees, hiding in dark corners where it was coolest. Looking for entertainment, he started to make a game out of it.

Jack darted in and out of the shade as he journeyed deeper and deeper into the woods. His laughter broke the silence as he flitted between green as fast as he could, going as far as possible before it was too much to go on. He whooped and hollered as he ran, feeling light and free, no awful thought of disappearing or being alone even crossing his mind.

Jack finally made it back to the entrance of Pitch's lair, lying underneath a decaying bed. All that was left was the legs of the wooden thing, and Jack started to wonder why Pitch still kept it.  
He bounded over the expanse of sunny ground as fast as his long legs could take him, and dove straight into the small opening, his staff held out straight in front of him to guide him down into the shadows.

Jack landed on the cold stone floor, a cushion of wind slowing his fall. He peered into the shadows and cupped his free hand to his mouth. "Pitch? I'm back!" He shouted.  
No response. That was odd; usually Pitch would form out of the shadows and come to Jack in less than 2 seconds flat accompanied by hissing shadows. Now...It was silent.  
Jack looked for any clues on where Pitch could have gone off to. Black sand was stuck to the stone walls, as if it was thrown there. Objects were overturned and broken, one of the cages from the ceiling had fallen and crumpled, shattered glass scattered the floor. Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he ran his hand lightly along the wall. It looked as if Pitch had thrown a tantrum, or was attacked. Sand dotted the walls and floor, glittering in the dim light as it snaked down to the ground telling a story that was looking more and more like a struggle. Jack followed the sand to the floor, watching the scene before him play out.

Jack drummed his fingers nervously on his staff, thoughts buzzing. Had the nightmares taken over again? Had the Guardians attacked? What if Pitch was hurt? What if he needed help? Was he was dying somewhere? Could Pitch even die? Jack was anxiously chewing on his lip as he tried to reason through what had happened, his hands clenching his  
staff till his knuckles turned white. Jack tried to calm his thoughts as his heart pounded.  
Pitch had to be here somewhere, so he wandered into the shadows to keep looking. He turned down winding hallways, calling out to Pitch as he went, each cry more frantic than the last. He opened every room he could find, sprinted down corridors, bounded up stairs; everything was empty. Where was he?! Jack's heart was racing now, his breath had caught in his throat and he had broken out into a run by the time he looped back to the main cavern.

"Pitch!" Jack screamed to the air.

Something caught his eye, a glimmer of color in the grayscale of the lair. A feather tinted blue and green. Jack quickly leaped over to it and crouched down to pick it up. A shiver of fear ran up his spine as he looked around. He heard the sound of rushing water, his senses felt foggy and the air around him felt heavier by tons. Fading pastels colored the walls by the scattered sand, scratch marks of blades dotted the walls, golden sand mixed in with the black.

Jack darted out of the cavern, going as fast as the wind could take him leaving snow flurries in his wake. He appeared out into the open again, ignoring the heat of the sun. It beat down on Jack as he frantically scanned the ground, looking for a sign, anything to let him know where to go.  
Marks along the ground made a path going further into the woods-how had he not noticed that before?-and Jack sped off, following the thin trail of black sand and blast marks along the ground.

Jack flew for several minutes, his fear only increasing as he zipped over the trees. He heard explosions in the distance and shouting of familiar voices. If Jack's mind could reel any faster it would have at that point. He broke out into a sweat and he felt as if he was going to have a heart attack from exerting so much energy in such heat. The sun killed him, he'd rather be in the shade, but running was too slow. Too slow to get to Pitch in time. Jack flew over the crest of a hill and found the source of the noise. He felt sick.

Jack grabbed his staff with both hands and held it against the ground for balance as another twist of his gut caused him to double over. This couldn't be happening this couldn't be happening-how had the Guardians found Pitch, did they know about what was between them why were they always always _always_ getting in where they weren't needed?

The other Guardians came into view below. They fought against a swirling mass of black sand, fended against nightmares, and dodged the shadows that shot towards them.

Tooth, Bunnymund and Sanderson stood in close proximity to one another, shouting things Jack could quite make out. Sanderson defended against hordes of nightmares, golden whips sailing and snapping through the air as he fended off the large group. Tooth swung one of North's sabers at the beasts surrounding her, using her wings to cut through the nightmares that Sandy couldn't get. Bunny fought alongside the two, throwing his boomerangs and kicking wildly between throws as egg bombs exploded all over the place, painting the sand in pastel colors. The Nightmares continued to flood over the trio, breaking apart by harsh blows only to reform at another space. Jack found North fighting with one saber and the help of several stone eggs. North tried to make his way towards Pitch through the thick sand surrounding him simultaneously fighting back shadows and lethal slices from Pitch's scythe. Pitch swung wildly at North from the left, who blocked at the last minute. Jack's eyes widened as North swung his saber around and jammed Pitch's staff into the ground. Without hesitation North suddenly make a wild bolt for Pitch, a loud roar escaping his mouth and blade held high above his head. Pitch let go if his weapon and stumbled backwards as North descended upon him like a ravenous animal.

Without thinking, Jack flew down into the scene, instantly regretting leaving the shade. It was a solid twenty degrees hotter under the sun, and while it may be chilly to anyone else, to Jack it felt like an oven. He shook the heat out of his head and sweat out of his eyes before descending on North. The energy coursing through Jack's body was a mix of anger and fear as he jumped in the space between Pitch and the large man. Jack landed on his feet and before North could register that there was another being there he was blasted in the front with an icy gust of wind as Jack shouted as loud as he could.

"STOP!"

Jack held his hands out in front of him as the blast pushed North back several feet and to the ground. And everything did stop. Weapons stilled, shouting abruptly ended, war cries were put out, and the black sand dissipated into the air. Everything went completely silent, and all Jack could hear was his own frantic heart and quick, deep breathing. Jack breathed a sigh of relief; Pitch was safe. But the relief was short lived as Jack looked up to the appalled and horrified faces of the Guardians who were slowly beginning to put the pieces together.

((**A/N**: Thanks for being so patient guys, and I love that all of you are following the story now, I'm so grateful! See you all next chapter and please don't hate me ; n ; ))


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